§ 48-8 — Service animal access

(a) When a person with a physical, mental, or intellectual disability requiring the use of a service animal is accompanied by a service animal or when a trainer of a service animal is accompanied by a service animal, neither the person nor the service animal shall be denied the right of entry and use of facilities of any public place of accommodation as defined in Section 5-101 of the Illinois Human Rights Act. For the purposes of this Section, "service animal" means a dog or miniature horse trained or being trained as a hearing animal, a guide animal, an assistance animal, a seizure alert animal, a mobility animal, a psychiatric service animal, an autism service animal, or an animal trained for any other physical, mental, or intellectual disability. "Service animal" includes a miniature horse that a public place of accommodation shall make reasonable accommodation so long as the public place of accommodation takes into consideration: (1) the type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate its features; (2) whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse; (3) whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and (4) whether the miniature horse's presence in the facility compromises legitimate safety requirements necessary for operation. (b) A person who knowingly violates this Section commits a Class C misdemeanor.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13; incorporates 97-956, eff. 8-14-12; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)