Bill would require HOAs to accommodate service dogs in training; committee refers measure to General Register

The House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee considered House File 688 on March 10, 2025, a bill offered by Representative Frazier to require homeowners associations (HOAs) to accommodate service dogs that are in training and to facilitate volunteer access to private residences for training purposes.

Representative Frazier said the bill aims to enlarge the pool of volunteers who can train and socialize service dogs for placement with people who need them. "This bill allows for homeowners or requires homeowners associations to provide for accommodations to allow those service dogs while in training to have access to the homes of those volunteers," Frazier said.

Emily Headenland, lead program trainer at Can Do Canines, brought a dog (Nova) and described the organization’s placement and follow-up practices. She said Can Do Canines places about 40 to 55 assistance dogs per year and has completed more than 900 teams in its history. She described the matching process as involving a lengthy application, in-person interview and review of lifestyle, temperament and task fit. She said teams receive follow-up: weekly or biweekly trainer visits for six to eight weeks, monthly surveys for the first six months, then annual surveys and required vet records; her estimate for a dog’s working life was about eight to 10 years.

Key provisions and scope

Representative Frazier and witnesses clarified the bill is limited to HOAs and does not change federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) obligations for service animals nor extend to emotional-support animals. The bill author said it does not change federal ADA requirements or alter landlord-tenant obligations for rental properties; in committee discussion, Representative Frazier said the bill does not apply to rental housing.

Committee action

Representative Frazier moved to re-refer House File 688 to the General Register; the committee voted by voice and the motion passed. The bill will now move to the General Register for potential floor consideration.

Questions and clarifications from committee members

Committee members asked about prior introduction history, potential homeowner or landlord resistance, certification of trainers, damage liability, and distinctions between service dogs and emotional-support animals. Representative Gander pressed for a process to present certification proactively to property managers to avoid later disputes. Headenland said Can Do Canines certifies and supports teams, describing assistance dogs as task-trained animals placed after extensive training; she said emotional-support animals are not task-trained and are not placed by her organization.

Why it matters

Proponents said the bill expands volunteer capacity for training service dogs and helps organizations match dogs to clients, potentially increasing the availability of highly trained assistance animals for people with disabilities. Opponents or stakeholders (such as HOAs or landlords) were not represented in this hearing; committee members discussed potential landlord concerns and whether the bill’s scope should extend beyond HOAs.

Outcome

The committee re-referred House File 688 to the General Register by voice vote.