HB 381 Summary

• Codifies the definition of "assistance animal" in Hawaii Revised Statutes as an animal needed to perform disability-related work or provide emotional support that alleviates symptoms of a person's disability, including service animals, therapy animals, comfort animals, and emotional support animals.

• Permits housing providers to request verification from a treating health care professional that a person has a disability and needs an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation when the disability-related need is not readily apparent.

• Specifies that vests, tags, or registration documents commonly purchased online purporting to identify an animal as a service or assistance animal do not constitute valid verification of a disability-related need.

• Amends Section 515-3 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to clarify that housing providers may impose reasonable restrictions on assistance animals while still being required to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.

• Takes effect on November 1, 2021.