SB573 Establishing certification standards for facility comfort dogs.
Establishing certification standards for facility comfort dogs.
Impact Score — How Does This Bill Affect You?
Overall Impact Score
Concerning
Scale: 1 (harmful) to 10 (beneficial)
Your Wallet
Minimal financial impact. Certification costs for comfort dog handlers are modest.
Your Community
Certified comfort dogs help crime victims, children testifying in court, and patients in healthcare settings. Standards ensure these dogs are properly trained and safe.
Your Freedom
Adds certification requirements for a specific purpose. The standards protect the public while enabling an evidence-based comfort measure.
Status
Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2145e Adopted, Voice Vote, (In recess of 06/04/2026); Senate Journal 14
Sponsor
Regina Birdsell (R)
The Short Version
Creates certification standards for comfort dogs used in facilities like courthouses, hospitals, and schools. These dogs provide emotional support during stressful situations such as courtroom testimony by children.
Who's Behind This Bill?
Who Benefits
- ▲ Crime victims and witnesses in court
- ▲ Children in stressful institutional settings
- ▲ Comfort dog handlers with clear standards
Who Pays the Price
- ▼ Comfort dog handlers facing certification requirements
Bill statuses as of May 2026. Check LegiScan or NH General Court for the latest.
This bill was auto-scored using AI analysis of the bill text and legislative data. Scores may be refined as we review more bills.