Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1084, which seeks to curb growing abuses of emotional support animal (ESA) certificates.
Patients must now establish the need for an ESA through a licensed medical practitioner with whom they have an established professional relationship. Additionally, the law creates a civil penalty for the falsification of documentation used to support the need for an ESA.
Other changes in the law include the need for separate supporting documentation for each emotional support animal in a household, liability for any damages done to a person or property where an ESA resides, and a housing provider’s ability to ask for supporting documentation if the disability is not readily apparent.
Finally, the law allows a housing provider to deny an ESA if they believe the animal will cause harm to people or the property of others. The effective date is July 1, 2020.
