,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #baba  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #ag1     
#bjba,mr4 ,cornyn 7for himself and ,mrs4
 ,feinstein7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to develop best practice       
guidelines for the use of dogs in       
,federal courts1 and for other purposes4
  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be    
cited as the ,courtroom ,dogs ,act4  #b4
 ,best practice guidelines for the use  
of dogs in ,federal courts  7a7         
,definition of qualified training       
organization ,in this section1 the term 
qualified training organization means an
 organization that-- 7#a7 meets the     
requirements of section #eja7;c77#c7 of 
the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf2  
7#b7 is exempt from taxation under      
section #eja7;a7 of such ,code2 and     
7#c7 includes staff members with        
knowledge about-- 7,a7 the criminal     
justice system2 and  7,b7 the breeding1 

training1 and placement of facility dog 
teams that have graduated from a        
qualified assistance dog organization4  
7b7 ,best practice guidelines ,not later
 than #ah months after the date of      
enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney   
,general shall develop and publish best 
practices for the use of dogs to provide
 support for defendants1 complainants1  
and witnesses in ,federal courtrooms and
 grand jury rooms1 which shall include  
guidelines for-- 7#a7 avoiding          
prejudice2  7#b7 addressing whether and 
when dog handlers should be required1   
and what training1 credentials1 or      
experience should be required2  7#c7    
stating what experience1 training1 or   
certification should be required for the
 dogs2  7#d7 addressing liability       
concerns2 and  7#e7 ensuring the dog or 
handler will not unduly interfere with  
the management of the case or any other 
court operations4  7c7 ,consultation ,in
 carrying out subsection 7b71 the       
,attorney ,general may consult with the 

judiciary branch1 ,federal1 ,state1 and 
local law enforcement agencies and      
prosecutors1 defense-side professionals1
 and experts in the field1 including a  
qualified training organization4  7d7   
,guidelines ,not later than #fj days    
after the date on which the best        
practice guidelines required under      
subsection 7b7 are published1 the       
,attorney ,general shall issue guidance 
informing all ,united ,states attorneys 
of the best practice guidelines and     
recommending the implementation of the  
guidelines4  7e7 ,rules of construction 
,nothing in this section shall be       
construed to prevent a court of the     
,united ,states from-- 7#a7 providing   
any other accommodation to a witness or 
other person in accordance with         
applicable law2 or  7#b7 retaining      
control of the courtroom4