H.B. 23 Service Animal Amendments

What this bill does

H.B. 23 would require the state's Division of Corporations and Commercial Code to post on its website information explaining the law on service animals and emotional support animals, along with contact information and a link to the Disability Law Center. The latest version drops an earlier proposal to add criminal penalties for related offenses.

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Every vote

• 8 yes, 0 no, 3 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to change the bill · Feb 5, 2026Who voted how
• 8 yes, 0 no, 3 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 5, 2026Who voted how
• 69 yes, 0 no, 6 absentFinal House vote · Feb 17, 2026Who voted how
• 4 yes, 0 no, 4 absentSenate Business and Labor Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 24, 2026Who voted how
• 25 yes, 0 no, 4 absentFirst of two Senate votes · Feb 26, 2026Who voted how
• 27 yes, 0 no, 2 absentFinal Senate vote · Feb 27, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 5, 2026 House Judiciary Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (18 turns)

  1. Committee chair (presiding)1:42:10

     All right, thank you. We will now hear HB 23 service animal amendments, and I do see there is a first sub. So will you be speaking to the first sub? Yes. All right. You may proceed.

  2. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:42:20

     Thank you. All right. So the first substitute takes away all mention of a criminal penalty enhancement, uh, per recommendations. This is a committee bill file from interim. And so all this does is just require the information be available on the state website for individuals who are looking, um, to clarify what our law actually says in regards to service animals. Uh, the reason for this bill is I have a constituent, um, actually have several constituents who, uh, have service animals because they cannot see. And when they go into places of public accommodation, very often employees of those places do not understand what the law is and try to deny them service. This is a very serious issue, and we need to have a place on a state website where the law is very clearly outlined and defined so that individuals can point to that and say, this is what the law is and you need to provide me services. So that's the bill, and I'm open to questions.

  3. Committee chair (presiding)1:43:26

     Thank you. We will now go to the committee for discussion and clarifying questions. Representative Loubet? No, just Millard.

  4. Rep. Tracy Miller1:43:35

     Oh, I just wanna thank you Representative Miller. Yeah, well, thank you. I just wanna thank the good sponsor for the, uh, substitute. I, I didn't know that was up. I appreciate it. And that is all I support the bill. All right, thank you.

  5. Committee chair (presiding)1:43:47

     Seeing no further lines, we will go to the public for comment. If you'd like to comment on this bill, please come forward. We will limit comments to one minute and 30 seconds each. When you come forward, please state your name and who you represent, and then go ahead and proceed.

  6. Nate Crippes, Attorney, Disability Law Center1:44:06

     Uh, good afternoon, committee members. My name is Nate Cri. I'm the Public Affairs supervising attorney with the Disability Law Center. Um, the, the state website is actually gonna link to the Protection Advocacy Agency's website. That is, that is us. Um, I wanna thank the sponsor, uh, first of all 'cause this is my favorite bill that mentions the Protection Advocacy Agency System. Uh, this year, uh, there are a few, and this is my favorite. Um, and so, um, we appreciate that. I will just say, um, for my first five or six years, um, at the DLC, actually, I took all of the cases, um, where people reach out to us about service animals and, and had to work with that. And, and in my experience, truly, um, just getting information to businesses resolve the issue 99% of the time. And so I think if businesses can come to our website, we have a ton of resources, I hope they can learn a little bit about, you know, the obligations they have and the rights of individuals with disabilities. And, and we're happy to have folks come there and if they have questions, happy to answer those. And so thank you. We, we support the bill.

  7. Committee chair (presiding)1:44:59

     Thank you. That concludes public comment. We will now go to the committee for Committee Action Representative Gricius.

  8. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox1:45:07

     Thank you Mr. Chair. I move that we adopt the first substitute to house bill 23. The motion is to adopt first sub house bill 23. Would you like to speak to that motion?

  9. Committee chair (presiding)1:45:16

     Good, bill, we'll go to the sponsor.

  10. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:45:19

      Thank you. And I really appreciate, um, Oh, sorry. I really appreciate, uh, the gentleman who came forward to speak and thank you for all the information and all the help you've given to our members of the disabled community in the past. And hopefully this will assist in the future as well. And just really grateful for your work. And thank you to the committee for your consideration.

  11. Committee chair (presiding)1:45:44

      Seeing no further lights, we'll go back to the motion maker waive. All right, she waives. We will place the motion. So the motion is to adopt first sub to HB 23. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That passes unanimously. Representative Gricius,

  12. Rep. Stephanie Gricius1:46:01

      I move that we favorably recommend first substitute house bill 23.

  13. Committee chair (presiding)1:46:06

      Motion is to favorably recommend first substitute house bill 23. Would you like to speak to that? Nope, she waives. We'll go to the sponsor. Waive, Waive. Seeing no lights from the committee, we will place the motion. Do you wanna do a roll call or just a Yeah, Always to the final roll. Alright, we will do a roll call on this one.

  14. Committee clerk1:46:29

      Representative Abbott. Aye. Er aye. Gracious. Yes. Lube. That's weird. Mona. Millard Thompson. Liz BI, Uh, it passes.

  15. Committee chair (presiding)1:46:52

      I rule that. Motion passes unanimously. Congratulations, chair Libe. We'll now go back to You. Thank you.

  16. Chair Lisonbee1:46:59

      Okay, well this was a fun meeting. I think that our board is possessed actually, but hopefully some exorcism will happen between this meeting and the next, because we've had some confusion up here, but we do need to adopt the minutes and then I'll take one final motion after that.

  17. Committee chair (presiding)1:47:18

      The motion, the minutes are moved. Any discussion to the motion? All those in favor say aye. A. Any opposed? No. Uh, that motion passes with Representative Miller voting no.

  18. Committee chair (presiding)1:47:34

      Um, with no explanations. That is good. Okay. That is very fitting for this meeting. Thank you. Uh, and we'll take one final motion. We are adjourned. Thank you. Committee.

• Feb 17, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (5 turns)

  1. Reading clerk1:43:37

     First substitute house bill 23 Service Animal Amendments by Representative Libe. This bill was heard in judiciary with a vote of 8 0 3 Representative

  2. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:43:46

     Libe. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, HB 23 Requires the division of corporations and commercial co code to publish on a website accessible to the public information and an internet website link for the disability law center so that businesses and members of the public can have clarifying information about what the law says around service animals. And I'm open to questions. Thank you, but not about the baby.

  3. Speaker (presiding)1:44:19

     Thank you rep Representative Libe, uh, discussion to the bill. Seeing none, back to your Representative Lisonbee for summation.

  4. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee1:44:29

     I'll wait. Thank you. Mr. Speaker Summation is been waived.

  5. Speaker (presiding)1:44:32

     Voting now be open on first substitute 23. See now present and voted. Voting is now closed. First substitute HB 23 passed this body with 69 yes votes zero no votes sent to the Senate for its consideration. Let's go one more bill. Representative Madam Reading Clerk

• Feb 24, 2026 Senate Business and Labor Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (8 turns)

  1. Committee chair35:35

     The first item on the agenda is HP 23 First sub service Animal amendments. Uh, representative Libe appreciate a number of, uh, presenters in the audience and being prompt. We appreciate it there.

  2. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee35:50

     Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning and thank you committee. So, HP 23 requires the division of corporations and commercial code to publish on a website accessible to the public, the contact information and internet website, link for the disability law center, information that can assist members of the public in understanding the laws and regulations regarding service animals and public accommodation. There are several, um, members of the public in my district who are blind, who have had interactions in restaurants where they've brought their service. They're, they're seeing eye dog and have been told You can't bring your dog in here. And there's a lot of confusion and the public when it comes to service animals now that there are, um, emotional support animals and other categories of animals that people, um, are, are bringing into restaurants. And so, wanna clarify the law for people and have a convenient place for them to look and see what the law actually is. Yeah, I think that it has kinda worked both ways. You know, we've had, uh, I know that businesses struggle sometimes with so many different types of dogs that, and how to, what to allow, but at the same token on what you're talking about, the ones that need to be with that individual need to be with me, need to be with them. So, yeah. Appreciate that.

  3. Committee chair37:16

     Um, any questions from the committee? Seeing none, is there anyone in the public that'd like to testify on this? Bill? We have one line.

  4. Committee chair37:29

     Nate Cripps. Nate Crisp, if you could, uh, turn your camera on and identify yourself, who you represent, if anyone, and where you live.

  5. Nate Crippes, Public Affairs Supervising Attorney, Disability Law Center37:41

     Uh, good morning, mayor members. My name is Nate Cris. I'm the Public affairs supervising attorney with a disability law center. Um, I, I'm in Salt Lake City, um, and apologies I couldn't be in there this morning. Um, I just wanna thank Representative Lisonbee for, for bringing this bill. Um, I will say in my first, probably six or seven years at the DLC, um, I took all of the cases, um, where people were denied, um, service, service animals at a private business. Um, and I would say almost all of them saved, maybe one or two. Um, they were all able to be resolved by providing that business a little bit of information, uh, to ensure that, that the person's rights were protected. Um, and so just, you know, thankful to the representative for bringing some people have a place to, to look and learn about their rights and for businesses to learn about their obligations. So hopefully we can, uh, avoid confusion in the future. So, thank you.

  6. Committee chair38:27

     Thank you. We'll close, uh, public comment and come back to the committee for further deliberation or action. Senator Ipson?

  7. Sen. Ipson38:38

     Yes. I make a motion that this bill pass the, this committee with a favorable recommendation.

  8. Committee chair38:43

     Okay. The motion for us is to favorably recommend House Bill 23 first sub. Any discussion of that motion? Seeing none will place a motion. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Say nay. Rule pass. Unanimous. Thank you.

• Feb 26, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee25:01

     authoritative explanation of the law. Most business Loa owners interact with the division of corporations when they register their business or they renew a license or file their UCC documents. By putting information there, the state is meeting the business owners where they already do business, rather than expecting them to hunt through the Department of Health or other legal statutes. An earlier version of this bill focused on harsher criminal penalties for harassing service animals. However, the final focus of this bill shifted towards education under the theory that most denials happen because of ignorance, not because of malice. And with that, I'll yield to any questions on house. Bill 23.

  2. President Adams (presiding)25:46

     Thank you. Senator Weiler. See no discussion to you for a motion.

  3. Sen. Todd Weiler25:53

     Yeah. So all the bill does is that it requires the Department of Commerce to put, uh, published on their website information about these, uh, service animals and emotions, emotional support animals. And with that, I move that first substitute house. Bill 23, be read for a third time.

  4. President Adams (presiding)26:11

     Thank you. And the question is, shall first substitute House bill 23? Be read a third time. Roll call vote.

  5. Unknown speaker26:16speaker not certain

     Senator Spery Lewin Bremmer Bus Colmore Escamilla Fillmore Grover Harper Hankins Ipson Johnson. Juab McKay. Mikel McKay Milner Milner Musselman Owens Pitcher Thumb Rebi Sandal Stevenson Stratton Bickers Miler Aye. Wilson Winterton Aye.

  6. President Adams (presiding)27:13

     President Adams Aye. First substitute house bill 23. Having received 25 yay votes. Zero nay votes. Four being absent shall be read a third time.

  7. President Adams (presiding)27:28speaker not certain

     First substitute house bill 3 7 4. First substitute house bill 3 74. Speech, language and hearing. Occupation Licensing amendments. Senator Vickers. Senator Vickers.

• Feb 27, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Sen. Todd Weiler50:42

     Thank you Mr. President. Sorry to be a little slow on the uptake house Bill 23. Um, simply will have the division of corporations publish on its website the clear and authoritative explanation of the law regarding, uh, service animals and emotional support animals. And with that, I'll yield to any questions.

  2. President (presiding)51:05

     Thank you for the presentation again on third reading. Looking for further for any discussion. Seeing that I'm gonna go to you. Senator Weiler, I need a motion.

  3. Sen. Todd Weiler51:15

     Thank you. I move that first substitute house Bill 23 pass.

  4. President (presiding)51:19

     Thank you. And the question is, shall first substitute House Bill 23 pass. Roll call vote.

  5. Unknown speaker (Senate clerk, roll call)51:23

     Senator Vickers Baldy Lewin Brammer Bus Colmore Escamilla Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Kins Ipson Johnson Aye. Juab McKay Mikel Milner Musselman Owens Pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vickers Weiler Wilson Winterton.

  6. President (presiding)52:04

     President Adams Aye. First substitute to house Bill 23. Having received 2070 a votes, zero nay votes. Two being absent passes. This body will be signed by the President and returned to the house for the signature of the speaker house Bill 3 82 oh House Bill 3 82 House Bill 3 82.

  7. Unknown speaker (captioned as Senator Mikel)52:34speaker not certain

     Thank you Mr. President. Uh, pretty straightforward. Bill. This is the, a Uniform Law Commission bill.