S 2714

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3312  FILED ON: 10/21/2025
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2714
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Joan B. Lovely
  _________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
   Court assembled:
   The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
 An Act studying discrimination in public accommodation for individuals with service animals.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Joan B. Lovely  Second Essex
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  SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3312  FILED ON: 10/21/2025
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2714
By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2714) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of
Joan B. Lovely for legislation to study discrimination in public accommodation for individuals
with service animals. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act studying discrimination in public accommodation for individuals with service animals.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. There shall be a special legislative commission established pursuant to
2 Section _ of chapter _ of the General Laws to study cases of denial of rights and services of
3 disabled persons with disabilities as well as cases that have resolved.
4SECTION 2. (a) The commission shall consist of: The chairs of the joint committee on
5 children, families and persons with disabilities, who shall serve as co-chairs; the executive
6 director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability, the attorney general or a designee; three
7 persons to be appointed by the governor, a representative of the Disability Law Center, a
8 representative of the Disability Policy Consortium, a representative of the Massachusetts
9 Statewide Independent Living Council, a representative of the Massachusetts Coalition of
10 Families and Advocates, a representative from the Massachusetts Commission Against
11 Discrimination, two advocates who are disabled with a service animal, and a representative of
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12 the Arc of Massachusetts. The commission shall meet not less than 6 times and shall hold not
13 less than 2 public hearings.
14(b) The commission shall study and report on: (i) The volume of disability rights denial
15 cases submitted to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, (ii) the volume of
16 disability rights denial cases submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice and their impacts on the
17 disability community, (iii) the effectiveness of the enforcement of disability rights in the
18 Commonwealth within the last five years, and (iv) education of disability rights awareness.
19(c) The commission shall submit a report with recommendations, including legislation or
20 regulations necessary to carry out such recommendations, to the clerks of the house of
21 representatives and the senate, the joint committee on children, families, and persons with
22 disabilities, and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than August 1,
23 2027.
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