S.B. 334 Summary

• Codifies the definition of "assistance animal" in statute to mean an animal needed to perform disability-related work, services, or tasks, or provide emotional support that alleviates symptoms of a person's disability, including service animals, comfort animals, and emotional support animals of any species.

• Authorizes housing providers to request written verification from a health care professional, mental health professional, social worker, or rehabilitation counselor to establish a person's disability-related need for an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation.

• Specifies that possession of a vest, tag, or online registration document purporting to identify an animal as a service or assistance animal does not constitute valid verification of a disability-related need.

• Amends Section 515-3 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to clarify that reasonable accommodations for assistance animals in housing are required while allowing reasonable restrictions to be imposed.