HB393 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Jul 24, 2021

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Dexter Grimsley
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Animals, permitting therapy dogs in courtroom with vulnerable witness, authorize judge to use discretionary funds
Description: Under existing law, service dogs for people with disabilities are permitted in public areas.
This bill would allow for the use of a registered therapy dog, as defined, in legal proceedings when permitted by the judge to assist a victim or witness, to reduce unnecessary emotional distress experience by a victim or witness and allow full and factual testimony.
This bill would authorize a judge to use discretionary funds to offset the costs for a registered handler of a registered therapy dog used in a legal proceeding.
Subjects: Courts

Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security