The proposed General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5264 seeks to strengthen protections for service and therapy animals, enhance animal welfare advocacy, and address animal cruelty. Key provisions include prohibiting insurers from canceling or refusing to renew homeowners or tenants insurance policies based solely on the breed of dog owned or the ownership of a therapy animal, effective October 1, 2026. The bill also redefines "companion animal" to encompass various domesticated species and allows courts to appoint advocates to represent the interests of justice in cases involving the welfare or custody of these animals.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws related to animal cruelty and assault, reclassifying certain offenses as class D felonies for repeat offenders and expanding the definition of third-degree assault to include domestic animals, which will now be classified as a class A misdemeanor with a mandatory one-year imprisonment sentence. The legislation establishes a task force to study the creation of a state animal abuse registry and recommend changes to the pretrial rehabilitation program for animal cruelty offenses. This task force will include appointed members from the General Assembly and legal authorities, with a report due by January 1, 2027. The overall aim of the bill is to enhance legal protections for animals and their owners, with all provisions set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 54-86n