HB393 Summary

• Allow judges to permit registered therapy dogs to accompany victims or witnesses during testimony, depositions, or initial interviews to reduce emotional distress and enhance testimony accuracy.

• Define "registered therapy dog" as a trained emotional support dog tested and registered by a nonprofit therapy dog organization meeting specific standards, including annual health certificates, 18 months of facility visits, liability insurance of at least $50,000, and handler identification.

• Define "registered handler" as a volunteer registered by the court system without convictions for sexual, animal, domestic abuse, or felonies, registered by a qualifying therapy dog organization, and sworn to confidentiality.

• Require handlers to receive instruction from the district attorney's office on court protocols and ensure therapy dogs do not interfere with evidence collection or testimony; if a jury is present, the dog must be introduced outside jury presence and jurors instructed not to show prejudice.

• Authorize judges to award costs from their discretionary funds to registered handlers to offset financial costs of using therapy dogs in legal proceedings, and prohibit dismissal of therapy dogs or handlers for following the act's procedures.