WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2656

By Delegates Pritt and T. Clark

[Introduced February 20, 2025; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-20-27, relating to prohibiting a person from taking a dog, cat, or other animal into a grocery store or retail establishment that sells food unless the animal is a registered service animal.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 20. dogs and cats.

§19-20-27.  Prohibition against taking a dog, cat, or other animal that is not registered as a service animal into grocery stores or retail store that sells food; penalty.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, no person shall enter a grocery store or retail establishment that sells food with a dog, cat, or other animal unless the animal is a registered service animal.

(b) A person that violates this section of code shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500.  Upon a second or subsequent violation, he or she shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit a person from taking a dog, cat, or other animal into a grocery store or retail establishment that sells food unless the animal is a registered service animal.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.