Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1534 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3760 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1534
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to a commission to study access to emotional support animals in residential
13	13	housing.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Bradley H. Jones, Jr.20th Middlesex1/17/2025Paul K. Frost7th Worcester1/31/2025Todd M. Smola1st Hampden3/10/2025Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/30/2025 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3760 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1534
19	19	By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1534) of
20	20	Bradley H. Jones, Jr. and others for an investigation by a special commission (including
21	21	members of the General Court) relative to access to emotional support animals in residential
22	22	housing. Housing.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to a commission to study access to emotional support animals in residential
29	29	housing.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 SECTION 1. (a) There shall be a special legislative commission established pursuant to
33	33	2section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study and report on the use and training of
34	34	3service animals in comparison to emotional support animals and the consequences to tenants and
35	35	4owners of the buildings in which they reside within the Commonwealth. The commission shall
36	36	5consist of 17 members: 2 of whom shall be the chairs of the joint committee on housing or their
37	37	6designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 2 shall also be the chairs of the joint committee on the
38	38	7judiciary or their designees; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of
39	39	8representatives; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be
40	40	9appointed by the house minority leader; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate minority
41	41	10leader; 1 of whom shall be the governor or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the attorney
42	42	11general or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the director of the Massachusetts office on 2 of 3
43	43	12disability or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts
44	44	13commission against discrimination or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director
45	45	14of the municipal police training committee established pursuant to section 116 of chapter 6 of the
46	46	15General Laws or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the mental health
47	47	16legal advisors committee established pursuant to section 34E of chapter 221 of the General Laws
48	48	17or their designee; 1 of whom shall be the president and chief executive officer of the Greater
49	49	18Boston Real Estate Board or their designee; and 1 member who shall be appointed by the
50	50	19governor, 1 of whom shall be a professional service dog organization headquartered in the
51	51	20commonwealth accredited by Assistance Dogs International, specializing in public advocacy and
52	52	21education and the training of service dogs that has been in existence for not less than 46 years
53	53	22and has placed not less than 900 service dogs in the commonwealth, 1 of whom shall be from the
54	54	23Citizens Housing and Planning Association, 1 of whom shall be a tenant residing in the
55	55	24Commonwealth appointed by the Greater Boston Legal Services and 1 of whom shall be a
56	56	25person with a disability who resides in the commonwealth who is an employee of a service dog
57	57	26training team in which the service dog has received its training from an Assistance Dogs
58	58	27International accredited service dog Organization, and one of whom shall be from an
59	59	28organization advocating for the training of emotional support animals.
60	60	29 (b) The study shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) reviewing current federal, state
61	61	30and local laws and procedures governing the use of emotional support animals; (ii) examining
62	62	31the use and benefit of emotional support by individuals with disabilities; (iii) investigating the
63	63	32presence, prevalence and impact of fraud, misrepresentation and other misuse of emotional
64	64	33support animals and any resulting damage or harm they have caused to property or individuals,
65	65	34including the prevalence of online, for-profit, verification sources; (iv) researching laws and 3 of 3
66	66	35practices in other jurisdictions with the objective to deter the misuse of emotional support
67	67	36animals; and (v) identifying training and educational opportunities aimed at increasing
68	68	37understanding of laws governing the use of emotional support animals among public officials,
69	69	38law enforcement, business owners and members of the public. The commission shall report on:
70	70	39(A) recommending changes to laws governing the use of emotional support, if any, including the
71	71	40definition of an “emotional support animal” and whether to introduce legislation to change the
72	72	41manner and methods by which they are verified, approved and trained; and (B) determining the
73	73	42feasibility of certifying, registering or licensing of emotional support animals.
74	74	43 (c) The commission shall file its report not later than April 1, 2027, with the clerks of the
75	75	44house of representatives and the senate, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways
76	76	45and means and the chairs of the joint committee on housing.