HB 5264 — AN ACT CONCERNING SERVICE ANIMALS IN INSURANCE UNDERWRITING, THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ADVOCATE IN PROCEEDINGS CONCERNING THE WELFARE OR CUSTODY OF COMPANION ANIMALS, ASSAULT OF A DOMESTIC ANIMAL AND ESTABLISHING AN ANIMAL ABUSE TASK FORCE.

General Assembly SubstituteRaised Bill No.

5264 February Session, 2026 ANLCO ACTNo. CONCERNING SERVICE ANIMALS IN INSURANCE UNDERWRITING, THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ADVOCATE IN PROCEEDINGS CONCERNING THE WELFARE OR CUSTODY OF COMPANION ANIMALS, ASSAULT OF A DOMESTIC ANIMAL AND ESTABLISHING AN ANIMAL ABUSE TASK FORCE.

1579 Referred to Committee on INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Introduced by:

(INS) AN ACT CONCERNING SERVICE AND THERAPY ANIMALS IN INSURANCE UNDERWRITING, THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ADVOCATE IN PROCEEDINGS CONCERNING THE WELFARE OR CUSTODY OF COMPANION ANIMALS, ASSAULT OF A DOMESTIC ANIMAL AND ESTABLISHING AN ANIMAL ABUSE TASK FORCE.

(NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) No insurer that delivers, issues for delivery, renews, amends or endorses a homeowners or tenants insurance policy in this state on or after October 1, 2026, shall cancel, refuse to renew or refuse to issue such policy solely on the basis of (1) the breed of dog owned by the insured or the applicant, with respect to any dog that is a dog trained or being trained as a service animal to assist blind, deaf or mobility impaired persons.persons, or (2) the ownership of a therapy animal by such insured or applicant.

As used in this section, "service animal" has the same meaning as provided in section 22-345 of thegeneral statutes, and "therapy animal" has the same meaning as provided in section 17a-22ee of the general statutes.

(a) For the purposes of this section, "companion animal" means a domesticated dog, cat, horse, rabbit, ferret, bird, rodent, fish, reptile, amphibian or other species of animal kept for pleasure rather than utility and that is normally kept in or near the household of its owner or keeper and is dependent on a person for food, shelter and veterinary LCO 1 of 7 Substitute Bill No.

52641579 care,1 but does not include a dog, cat, horse, rabbit, ferret, bird, rodent, fish, reptile, amphibian or other species of animal7 keptRaised forBill farmingNo. or biomedical research practices.

5264 (a) For the purposes of this section, "companion animal" means a domesticated dog, cat, horse, rabbit, ferret, bird, rodent, fish, reptile, amphibian or other species of animal kept for pleasure rather than utility and that is normally kept in or near the household of its owner or keeper and is dependent on a person for food, shelter and veterinary care, but does not include a dog, cat, horse, rabbit, ferret, bird, rodent, fish, reptile, amphibian or other species of animal kept for farming or biomedical research practices.

[(c)] (d) The Department of Agriculture shall maintain a list of attorneys with knowledge of animal issues and the legal system and a listoflawschoolsthat havestudents,oranticipatehavingstudents,withhave anintereststudents,oranticipatehavingstudents,with inanimalissuesandthelegalsystem.SuchattorneysandlawLCO studentsNo. shall be eligible to serve on a voluntary basis as advocates under this section.

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5264 aninterest inanimalissuesandthelegalsystem.Suchattorneysandlaw students shall be eligible to serve on a voluntary basis as advocates under this section.

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5264 Sec.

or (2) he recklessly causes serious physical injury to anotherLCO personNo. or a domestic animal;

1579 3 of 7 Raised Bill No.5264 another person or a domestic animal;

(b) Assault in the third degree is a class A misdemeanor and any person found guilty under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of this LCOsection 3shall be sentenced to a term of 7imprisonment Substituteof Billone No.year which may not be suspended or reduced.

5264 section shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of one year which may not be suspended or reduced.

In any prosecution for an offense under this section based on the victim being a person with intellectual disability, it shall be an affirmative defense that the actor, at the time such actor engaged in the conduct constituting the offense, did not knowLCO theNo. victim was a person with intellectual disability.

1579 4 of 7 Raised Bill No.5264 know the victim was a person with intellectual disability.

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5264 Sec.

(Effective October 1, 2026) (a) There is established a task force to (1) study the establishment of a state animal abuse registry, (2) recommend revisions to the accelerated pretrial rehabilitation program established under section 54-56e of the general statutes concerning (A) restricting participation in such program by any person charged with, or that is a repeat offender of, an animal cruelty offense identified in section 53-247 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and (B) waystoimprovesuchprogram,and(3)recommendrevisionstostatuteswaystoimprovesuchprogram, and(3)recommendrevisionstostatutes concerning animal cruelty or neglect.

(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;LCO No.

1579 5 of 7 Raised Bill No.5264 Representatives;

(7) TwoThe appointedChief byState's theAttorney, chairpersonsor of the jointChief standingState's committeeAttorney's ofdesignee; the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to insurance, who are mental health professionals who have experience in the provision of care to individuals who have experienced trauma;

LCOand 5(8) ofThe 7Chief SubstitutePublic BillDefender, No.or the Chief Public Defender's designee.

5264 (8) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or the commissioner's designee;

(9) The Chief State's Attorney, or the Chief State's Attorney's designee;

(10) The Chief Public Defender, or the Chief Public Defender's designee;

and (11) The Chief Court Administrator, or the Chief Court Administrator's designee.

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4 October 1, 2026 53a-61 October 1, 2026 Sec.

5 October 1, 2026 53a-61a Sec.

6 October 1, 2026 New section Statement of LegislativePurpose: Commissioners:

TheTo: title was changed.

INS(1) JointProhibit Favorableany Subst.homeowners insurance or tenants insurance policy from discriminating based on owning any dog that is a dog trained or being trained as a service animal to assist blind, deaf or mobility impaired persons or is a therapy animal, (2) allow the court to appoint an advocate in proceedings concerning the welfare or custody of companion animals, (3) expand assault in the third degree to include domestic animals, and (4) establish an animal abuse task force.

C/R[Proposed JUDdeletions LCOare 7enclosed ofin 7brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except underlined.]e entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not LCO No.