Bill
HB 5731
Prohibits homeowners insurers from denying or canceling coverage for properties where tenants have guide or assistance dogs, based on the dog's breed.
HB 5731 — An Act Prohibiting Homeowners Insurance Companies from Denying Coverage to Property Owners Based on the Breed of a Tenant's Dog Trained as a Guide or Assistance Dog
Overview
- Purpose: To prevent homeowners insurance providers from denying, canceling, or refusing to issue coverage for a property owner because a tenant has a dog trained as a guide or assistance dog, based on the breed of that dog.
- Rationale (implied): Aligns insurance underwriting practices with protections for individuals who rely on service animals and seeks to reduce discrimination against tenants with disabilities when landlords seek homeowners coverage.
Key Provisions (as indicated by the bill’s title; full text not provided)
- Prohibition on denial of homeowners insurance: A homeowners insurer would be barred from denying coverage, or from issuing or renewing a policy, on the basis of the breed of a dog trained as a guide or assistance dog that is living on the insured property via a tenant.
- Scope of coverage: Applies to homeowners insurance coverage related to properties where tenants have service or assistance dogs.
- Considerations for underwriters: If enacted, the bill would require insurers to assess risk factors other than the dog’s breed and to avoid using breed as a proxy for discrimination against service animals. (Specific underwriting criteria are not provided in the available information.)
- Definitions: The bill would define terms such as “dog trained as a guide or assistance dog” to apply to service animals used by tenants with disabilities. (Exact statutory language not provided here.)
Who is Affected
- Property owners who obtain homeowners insurance and rent their property to tenants with guide or assistance dogs.
- Tenants who rely on service or assistance dogs, as the availability of coverage for their landlords should not be compromised by the dog’s breed.
- Homeowners insurance carriers operating in the applicable jurisdiction (subject to the bill’s provisions).
Procedural Status and Timeline
- Introduced: January 21, 2025.
- Current status: Referred to the Joint Committee on Insurance and Real Estate (REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Insurance and Real Estate) — indicating the bill will be reviewed by that committee.
- Next steps (typical process): If the committee approves, the bill would move to the floor for consideration, potentially undergo amendments, and then proceed through the legislative chambers per the applicable rules. Timelines depend on committee schedules and floor action.
Potential Implications and Considerations
- Disability rights and housing accessibility: Enhances protections for tenants with disabilities by preventing discrimination in associated homeowners coverage.
- Insurance underwriting practices: Could prompt insurers to revisit breed-based or presumptive risk assessments related to service animals, encouraging practice aligned with disability antic discrimination norms.
- Enforcement and remedies: Details on enforcement mechanisms, penalties, private rights of action, or administrative remedies are not provided in the available information; those elements would influence practical impact and compliance burden.
Next Steps for Interested Stakeholders
- Monitor committee hearings and any amendments to HB 5731.
- Review the full bill text upon release to assess definitions, exceptions, enforcement provisions, and effective dates.
- Consider implications for tenants with service animals, landlords, and insurance agents in your state.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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