Bill No. 1178 amends Oklahoma law regarding service animals in public accommodations. It clarifies the definitions of "service animal," "emotional support animal," and "therapy animal," emphasizing that only service animals are recognized under the law for public access. The bill allows public accommodations to adopt policies that prohibit animals other than service animals and requires them to post signs indicating which animals are prohibited while affirming that service animals are permitted.

Additionally, the bill introduces new penalties for individuals who misuse the designation of service animals. Specifically, it makes it a misdemeanor for anyone who is not disabled or trained to assist individuals with disabilities to use a service animal to gain benefits or treatment. It also prohibits the misrepresentation of any animal as a service animal for the purpose of obtaining rights or privileges under state or federal law, with similar misdemeanor penalties for violations. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.