Bill > HF615

This bill modifies existing Iowa law regarding the intentional misrepresentation of an animal as a service animal or service-animal-in-training. The bill simplifies the legal definition of this offense by removing two previous conditions: the requirement that a person must have received a prior written or verbal warning about the illegality of misrepresenting an animal, and the explicit statement that the person knows the animal is not a legitimate service animal. Now, the offense is more straightforwardly defined as intentionally misrepresenting an animal as a service animal or service-animal-in-training for the purpose of obtaining rights or privileges under state or federal law. A service animal is typically a dog trained to perform specific tasks for individuals with disabilities, and this bill aims to discourage fraudulent claims about an animal's service status. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, and appears to make it easier to prosecute individuals who falsely claim their pets are service animals by removing some of the previous legal hurdles to proving the offense.

Judiciary (House)

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF615