(a) Any person who, with no legal justification, intentionally interferes with the use of a guide, signal, or service dog or mobility aid by harassing or obstructing the guide, signal, or service dog or mobility aid user or his or her guide, signal, or service dog, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by a fine of not less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) nor more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or both that fine and imprisonment.

(b) As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply:

Ask a criminal law question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

(1) “Mobility aid” means any device enabling a person with a disability, as defined in subdivision (b) of § 54 of the Civil Code, to travel independently, including, but not limited to, a guide, signal, or service dog, as defined in § 54.1 of the Civil Code, a wheelchair, walker or white cane.

(2) “Guide, signal, or service dog” means any dog trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.

(c) Nothing in this section is intended to affect any civil remedies available for a violation of this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 322, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.)