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H.R. 4049House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Access and Dignity for All People Who Travel Act of 2023

Sponsored by Greg StantonRep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ)
Introduced June 12, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 8:46 AM UTC

The Access and Dignity for All People Who Travel Act directs the Transportation Secretary to create rules that ensure airline seating accommodations for travelers with disabilities, such as companion or bulkhead seats, and to launch a pilot program that lets known service‑animal users travel without the usual documentation. It also requires reporting and training measures to improve airline handling of disability and service‑animal requests.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary must issue an advanced notice, a proposed rule, and a final rule on seating accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities within set timeframes (180 days, then 1 year, then another year).
  • Rulemaking must consider needs for companion seats, bulkhead seats, the number of travelers and assistants, notification methods, fraud detection, and other relevant factors.
  • A pilot program for known service‑animal users is established, optional, provides application assistance, exempts participants from documentation, may charge a fee up to $25, and requires consultation with disability groups, carriers, and registrars.
  • Congressional reports are required: a planning report within 1 year, annual progress reports, and a final report after 5 years, after which the pilot program sunsets.
  • Within 6 months, the Secretary must publish a list of accredited service‑animal training programs and authorized registrars on the DOT website.
  • Annual reports to Congress must detail the number of service‑animal travel requests, and how many were granted, denied, or found fraudulent.
  • Guidance on airline personnel training about service animals must be issued within 180 days, covering animal behavior, types, and the rights and responsibilities of handlers.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Aviation Subcommittee

June 13, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 12, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

June 12, 2023

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Aviation Subcommittee

June 13, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 12, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4049

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 12, 2023

Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Molinaro) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To provide seating accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Access and Dignity for All People Who Travel Act of 2023.

2.

Definitions

In this Act, the following definitions apply:

(1)

Air carrier

The term air carrier has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.

(2)

Appropriate committees of congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

(3)

Foreign air carrier

The term foreign air carrier has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.

(4)

Qualified individual with a disability

The term qualified individual with a disability has the meaning given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(5)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.

(6)

Service animal

The term service animal has the meaning given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

3.

Seating accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities

(a)

In general

(1)

Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding seating accommodations for any qualified individual with a disability.

(2)

Notice of proposed rulemaking

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking under paragraph (1) is completed, the Secretary shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding seating accommodations for any qualified individual with a disability.

(3)

Final rule

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the notice of proposed rulemaking under paragraph (2) is completed, the Secretary shall issue a final rule regarding seating accommodations for any qualified individual with a disability.

(b)

Requirements

In carrying out any rulemaking under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider the following:

(1)

The scope and anticipated number of qualified individuals with a disability who—

(A)

may need to be seated with a companion to receive assistance during a flight; or

(B)

should be afforded bulkhead seats or other seating considerations.

(2)

The types of disabilities that may need seating accommodations.

(3)

Whether such qualified individuals with a disability are unable to obtain, or have difficulty obtaining, such a seat.

(4)

The scope and anticipated number of individuals assisting a qualified individual with a disability who should be afforded an adjoining seat pursuant to section 382.81 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(5)

Any notification given to qualified individuals with a disability regarding available seating accommodations.

(6)

Any method that is adequate to identify fraudulent claims for seating accommodations.

(7)

Any other information determined appropriate by the Secretary.

4.

Known service animal user travel pilot program

(a)

Pilot program

(1)

Establishment

(A)

In general

The Secretary shall establish a pilot program to allow approved program participants as known service animal users for the purpose of exemption from the documentation requirements under part 382 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, with respect to air travel with a service animal.

(B)

Requirements

The pilot program established under subparagraph (A) shall—

(i)

be optional;

(ii)

provide to applicants assistance, including over-the-phone assistance, throughout the application process for the program;

(iii)

with respect to any web-based components of the pilot program, meet or exceed the standards described in section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) and the regulations implementing that Act as set forth in part 1194 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations; and

(iv)

exempt participants of the pilot program from any documentation requirements under part 382 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(2)

Consultation

In establishing the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with—

(A)

disability advocacy entities, including nonprofit organizations focused on ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to live and participate in their communities;

(B)

air carriers and foreign air carriers;

(C)

accredited service animal training programs and authorized registrars, such as the International Guide Dog Federation, Assistance Dogs International, and other similar organizations and foreign and domestic governmental registrars of service animals;

(D)

other relevant departments or agencies of the Federal Government; and

(E)

other entities determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.

(3)

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the pilot program under this subsection, an individual shall—

(A)

be a qualified individual with a disability;

(B)

require the use of a service animal because of a disability; and

(C)

submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(4)

Clarification

The Secretary may award a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement in order to carry out this subsection.

(5)

Nominal fee

The Secretary may require an applicant to pay a nominal fee (not to exceed $25) to participate in the pilot program.

(6)

Reports to congress

(A)

Planning report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a publicly available report describing the implementation plan for the pilot program under this subsection.

(B)

Annual report

Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the pilot program under this subsection, and annually thereafter until the date described in paragraph (7), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a publicly available report on the progress of the pilot program.

(C)

Final report

Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a publicly available final report that includes recommendations for the establishment and implementation of a permanent known service animal user travel program for the Federal Government.

(7)

Sunset

The pilot program shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this section.

(b)

Accredited service animal training programs and authorized registrars

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall publish on the website of the Department of Transportation and maintain a list of—

(1)

accredited programs that train service animals; and

(2)

authorized registrars that evaluate service animals.

(c)

Report to congress on service animal requests

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on requests for air travel with service animals, including—

(1)

during the reporting period, how many requests to board an aircraft with a service animal were made; and

(2)

the number and percentage of such requests, categorized by type of request, that were reported by air carriers or foreign air carriers as—

(A)

granted;

(B)

denied; or

(C)

fraudulent.

(d)

Training

(1)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Air Carrier Access Act Advisory Committee, issue guidance regarding improvements to training for airline personnel (including contractors) in recognizing when a qualified individual with a disability is traveling with a service animal.

(2)

Requirements

The guidance issued under paragraph (1) shall—

(A)

take into account respectful engagement with and assistance for individuals with a wide range of visible and non-visible disabilities;

(B)

provide information on—

(i)

service animal behavior and whether the service animal is appropriately harnessed, leashed, or otherwise tethered; and

(ii)

the various types of service animals, such as guide dogs, hearing or signal dogs, psychiatric service dogs, sensory or social signal dogs, and seizure response dogs; and

(C)

outline the rights and responsibilities of the handler of the service animal.