AL HB198

Creates the Alabama Assistance and Service Animal Integrity in Housing Act to establish definitions and documentation requirements for assistance animals and service animals in housing.

Allows landlords to require reliable documentation from a medical provider verifying a disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal, only if not readily apparent to the landlord.

Establishes the offense of misrepresenting entitlement to an assistance animal or service animal as a Class C misdemeanor for first offense and Class B misdemeanor for subsequent offenses, including making false statements to obtain documentation.

Establishes the offense of misrepresenting an animal as an assistance animal or service animal as a Class C misdemeanor for first offense and Class B misdemeanor for subsequent offenses, including creating false documents or fitting non-service animals with service animal insignia.

Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.