President Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned Bill No. 5,102, of 2019, which, by amending Law No. 10,048, of November 8, 2000, guarantees rights to companions of people with priority of care.
The legislation provided for priority care in public offices, but did not address companions. Now, companions will also have priority service both when they are with people who already have this right, and “in an accessory way”.
“Currently, priority care for people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, people with infants and the obese is already guaranteed in public offices, financial institutions, public transport vehicles, public places and toilets”, recalls According to the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic. “However, Law No. 10,048, of 2000, which guarantees them priority care, does not mention their companions or personal attendants. In this way, this legal vacuum often makes it impossible to implement the priority of care, as there are situations in which the holder of the priority care is forced to wait for the companion or is physically separated from him, which can worsen his state of vulnerability or put him in uncomfortable circumstances”, emphasizes the secretariat.
According to the General Secretariat, the text presented avoids the “abusive use” of this right in situations in which the companion could use the assisted person only to have access to priority care.
To avoid this situation, the companion will only have priority service while assisting a “person reached by this right”.
