California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: In Committee

AB 2888 — Guide, signal, and service dogs: emotional support dogs.

Last action — Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law makes a person who knowingly and fraudulently represents, through verbal or written notice, the person to be the owner or trainer of any canine licensed as, to be qualified as, or identified as, a guide, signal, or service dog, as defined, guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would make a person who knowingly and fraudulently represents, sells, or offers for sale, or attempts to represent, sell, or offer for sale, an emotional support dog as being entitled to the rights and privileges accorded by law to a guide, signal, or service dog guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. The bill would also require a person or business that sells or provides a dog as an emotional support dog to provide an explicit disclosure form to the potential receiver of the dog stating that the dog does not have the special training required of a guide, signal, or service dog and is not entitled to the rights and privileges accorded by law to a guide, signal, or service dog. The bill would require a person or business that offers to sell or provide a certificate, identification, tag, vest, leash, or harness for an emotional support dog to provide an explicit disclosure form, as specified, to the buyer or potential buyer, and would prohibit that person or business that offers to sell or provide a certification or registration, or both, for an emotional support dog from implying that there is a government validation or endorsement of the certification or registry. The bill would also prohibit a health care practitioner from providing documentation relating to an individual's need for an emotional support dog that is not a guide, signal, or service dog, as defined, unless the health care practitioner complies with specified requirements, including holding a valid license, establishing a client-provider relationship with the individual for at least 30 days prior to providing the documentation, and completing an in-person clinical evaluation of the individual regarding the need for an emotional support dog. The bill would make a person who fails to comply with these requirements or violates that prohibition subject to the criminal penalties described above and would make a business that fails to comply with these requirements or violates that prohibition subject to a criminal fine, as specified. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  2. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. Read second time and amended.

  3. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  4. Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and B. & P.

  5. Read first time.

  6. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  7. Introduced. To print.

Sponsors

  • Friedman · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Friedman

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights healthcare
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 2888 do?
Existing law makes a person who knowingly and fraudulently represents, through verbal or written notice, the person to be the owner or trainer of any canine licensed as, to be qualified as, or identified as, a guide, signal, or service dog, as defined, guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would make a person who knowingly and fraudulently represents, sells, or offers for sale, or attempts to represent, sell, or offer for sale, an emotional support dog as being entitled to the rights and privileges accorded by law to a guide, signal, or service dog guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. The bill would also require a person or business that sells or provides a dog as an emotional support dog to provide an explicit disclosure form to the potential receiver of the dog stating that the dog does not have the special training required of a guide, signal, or service dog and is not entitled to the rights and privileges accorded by law to a guide, signal, or service dog. The bill would require a person or business that offers to sell or provide a certificate, identification, tag, vest, leash, or harness for an emotional support dog to provide an explicit disclosure form, as specified, to the buyer or potential buyer, and would prohibit that person or business that offers to sell or provide a certification or registration, or both, for an emotional support dog from implying that there is a government validation or endorsement of the certification or registry. The bill would also prohibit a health care practitioner from providing documentation relating to an individual's need for an emotional support dog that is not a guide, signal, or service dog, as defined, unless the health care practitioner complies with specified requirements, including holding a valid license, establishing a client-provider relationship with the individual for at least 30 days prior to providing the documentation, and completing an in-person clinical evaluation of the individual regarding the need for an emotional support dog. The bill would make a person who fails to comply with these requirements or violates that prohibition subject to the criminal penalties described above and would make a business that fails to comply with these requirements or violates that prohibition subject to a criminal fine, as specified. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors AB 2888?
AB 2888 is sponsored by Friedman.
What is the current status of AB 2888?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 2888?
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