SB263 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Jimmy Holley
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Dogs, service dogs, harassment or injuring prohibited, penalties, definition to include therapy dogs, Act 2016-132, 2016 Reg. Sess., am'd, Sec. 13A-11-231 am'd.
Summary: The bill adds therapy dogs to the definition of service dogs and makes it illegal to harass or injure them, extending criminal penalties to therapy dogs.
What This Bill Does
It expands the service dog definition to include therapy dogs and imposes criminal penalties for harassing or injuring a therapy dog. It provides detailed definitions for harass, injury, notice, service dog, and therapy dog, and requires a therapy dog to be registered with a national therapy dog organization with the handler properly credentialed. It notes the bill would involve local funds but is exempt from local-funds approval rules because it creates or amends a crime. The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after the Governor signs it.

Who It Affects
People who rely on service dogs, including therapy dogs, and their handlers, who would gain criminal-penalty protections against harassment or injury.
Registered therapy dog organizations and their handlers, since therapy dogs must meet specific registration and credential requirements and may operate in certain public facilities.

Key Provisions
Therapy dogs are added to the definition of service dogs for purposes of criminal penalties when harassed or injured.
Definitions are added for harass, injury, notice, service dog, and therapy dog; therapy dogs include registered emotional-support dogs visiting in various settings and must be covered during performance of duties.
A therapy dog must be registered with a nonprofit national therapy dog organization, and the handler must be in good standing with credentials identified.
Section 2 states the bill is exempt from Amendment 621 local-fund requirements because it defines or amends a crime.
Effective date: the act takes effect on the first day of the third month after passage and 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: Animals