The bill amends the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to enhance protections for individuals with disabilities and those with assistance animals. It introduces key definitions, including "assistance animal," which is defined as an animal that mitigates the effects of a physical or mental disability, and "service animal," which refers to dogs specifically trained to assist individuals with disabilities in performing independent living tasks. The bill clarifies the term "housing status" by removing the phrase "having or."

The legislation expands the scope of unlawful housing practices to include discrimination based on housing status and prohibits the issuance of discriminatory notices or statements related to the sale, rental, or leasing of housing accommodations. It emphasizes the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations in housing policies and to have full and equal access to housing accommodations without being required to pay extra fees for service or assistance animals.

Additionally, the bill outlines that owners cannot inquire into the nature or extent of a person's disability when determining if a dog qualifies as a service animal, although they may ask if the animal is required due to a disability and what tasks it has been trained to perform.

The bill also clarifies the authority of the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights to accept, investigate, and decide cases alleging discrimination based on housing status. It removes a provision that previously prohibited public discussion of fair housing cases, promoting greater transparency. The act will take effect upon passage.