HB502 Alabama 2011 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Arthur Payne
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2011
Title: Disabled, including persons blind and hearing impaired or person diagnosed with autism spectrum, use of service animal in public places, including public or private schools, training authorized of service animal, Sec. 21-7-4 am'd.
Summary: HB502 updates Alabama law to let people with disabilities be accompanied by trained service animals in public places, including schools, and extends these rights to those training service animals and to aides for disabled children.
What This Bill Does
It defines a service animal as a dog specially trained to assist a person with a disability and grants the right to accompany such animals in public places and schools with no extra charges, while the handler is liable for any damages. It also extends these privileges to people who are training service animals. For disabled children (including those on the autism spectrum), aides must be trained with the service animal, and the animal’s work must relate to the child's disability. The bill notes no new local funding requirement and sets an effective date after governor approval.

Who It Affects
Group 1: People with disabilities (including blind, hearing-impaired, autism spectrum, and physical disabilities) who would be accompanied by service animals in public places and schools, with liability for damages and no extra charges.
Group 2: Accredited schools and individuals training service animals (and aides assisting disabled children) who gain the same privileges to accompany service animals in public places and schools; aides for autistic children must be trained with the service animal and the animal’s tasks must relate to the disability.

Key Provisions
Defines 'service animal' as a dog trained to perform work or tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability and grants the right to be accompanied by such animals in public places and schools, with no extra charges and liability for damages.
Extends privileges to persons training service animals and to aides assisting disabled children (including autism) with the condition that the animal’s work is directly related to the handler's disability, and states the act does not create a new local funding requirement and becomes law after governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Handicapped