Citizen harassment, intimidation, and interference

What this component proposes

Establish proportionate remedies for knowing harassment, intimidation or interference with a working service-dog team.

• Allow a citation or civil penalty for a first substantiated knowing interference incident, with escalating consequences for repeats.
• Provide a nationwide option for a handler to submit sworn evidence directly to an independent magistrate or judicial officer to seek a complaint, subject to legal review.
• Treat threats or assaults more seriously and preserve notice, evidentiary standards and due process.

Current federal law and proposed change

This component describes a proposed reform, not an enacted federal requirement. Existing protections depend on the setting and may arise under the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing Act, Air Carrier Access Act, veterans' benefits laws or state law. The general DOJ references below explain ADA public-access rules only; they do not establish every setting-specific rule or endorse this proposal. A component-specific, source-cited legal comparison is still required.

Primary federal references

• U.S. DOJ: ADA Service Animals FAQ (general public-access baseline)
• U.S. DOJ: ADA Service Animals Requirements

These sources explain general ADA public-access guidance, not every setting-specific rule. They do not endorse this legislative proposal. A full cross-statute legal analysis is still in development.

Implementation and legal questions

• Federal jurisdiction and the feasibility of a nationwide magistrate complaint pathway need detailed constitutional and statutory analysis.
• Avoid penalizing protected speech or accidental contact without qualifying interference.

Questions for working teams and stakeholders

1. What conduct should qualify as knowing interference?
2. What safeguards would make a citizen-initiated complaint process fair and accessible?

Feedback is welcome from owner-trained and professionally trained teams, including people who oppose mandatory registration. Please reference Component 31 in your response.

Content status: consultation summary. Detailed source-by-source legal verification remains pending. This is not final bill text, a legal opinion, or a representation that any government agency has endorsed the initiative.