RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – A Virginia family’s battle is creating change as Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs a bill clarifying parents can be a handler for service dogs for their children with disabilities in schools and public places.
House Bill 1336 was spearheaded by Matt Kreitz, an initiative driven by his own experience with his son, Charlie, and his service dog, Wendy.
“It’s necessary legislation to ensure that children have all the tools and support that they need to in order to be successful everywhere in Virginia,” said Kreitz. “The law never said who could be a third party handler or who couldn’t. It just merely established the concept of a third party handler.”
Back in November, the Kreitz family was at odds with Hanover County Public Schools over what legal accommodations can be made for their son’s service dog, specifically who can handle her.
“Denying Wendy is like denying a child their wheelchair,” said one speaker during the November meeting.
Several months after battling with the school division about service dog accommodations, Kreitz said their 12-year-old son is thriving at North Star Academy and Career Center in Henrico…