AR HB1420

Defines emotional support animals and emotional support dogs as animals providing emotional, cognitive, or similar support to individuals with disabilities that do not require special training or certification.

Requires sellers or providers of emotional support dogs to give written notice in bold, 12-point type stating the dog lacks service animal training and is not entitled to service animal rights and privileges.

Requires sellers of emotional support animal certificates, identifications, tags, vests, leashes, or harnesses to provide written notice that these items do not entitle animals to service animal rights and privileges.

Establishes healthcare provider requirements including maintaining valid active licenses, establishing 30-day client relationships before providing documentation (with homeless individuals exempt), completing yearly clinical evaluations, and providing notice about penalties for service animal misrepresentation.

Establishes civil penalties of $500 for first violation, $1,000 for second violation, and $2,500 for third and subsequent violations for fraudulently representing emotional support dogs as service animals or violating written notice requirements; enforcement actions may be brought by the Attorney General or county/city attorneys.