Office of the City Clerk - Record #: O2018-941

• Record #: O2018-941
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Failed to Pass
• Intro date: 2/28/2018
• Current Controlling Legislative Body: Committee on Aviation
• Title: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 10-36 by adding new Section 10-36-359 to establish regulations and requirements for animals at airport facilities
• Sponsors: Burke, Edward M.
• Topic: MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENTS - Title 10 - Streets, Public Ways, Parks, Airports & Harbors - Ch. 36 Parks, Playgrounds & Airports
• Related files: R2019-362

Date	Journal Page Number	Action By	Action	Result
5/29/2019		City Council	Failed to Pass
2/28/2018	17895	City Council	Referred

ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government pursuant to the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6(a); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government and affairs including the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and

WHEREAS, Chicago's Midway and O'Hare airports are a primary asset to the City ofChicago and make it an important component of the nation's transportation system; and

WHEREAS, Chicago's airports transport millions of passengers annually, making safety and security within them a top priority for residents and visitors; and

WHEREAS, consumer protection and customer satisfaction at both airports are central to the City's administration of aviation services; and

WHEREAS, supporting the use of animals to facilitate travel has increasingly been an aspect of these services; and

WHEREAS, recently there has been an increase in passengers flying with "emotional support animals" who provide owners comfort, security, and love when suffering from a mental or emotional disability; and

WHEREAS, under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), airlines are required to allow trained service animals and emotional support animals to accompany their handlers in the cabin of the aircraft; and

WHEREAS, the ACAA allows free travel for "any animal" that is trained to assist a person with a disability or that provides emotional support; and

WHEREAS, broad regulation interpretation is cited as a reason for an increase in people forging documents in an attempt to bring animals into the cabin free of charge and without a proper kennel or carrier, with dubious claims that their pet is an emotional support animal; and

WHEREAS, the Investigative Unit of NBC News reported multiple accounts of people who openly admit to lying about their dogs being service and support dogs in order to take them into re...