b'FEATURE columnEmotional Support Animal Law,And What Does It All Mean?by Meredith CarusoIn 2020, the Florida Legislature passed a bill affectingemotional-support animal guidance in Florida. The lawcreatednewclarificationsforemotionalsupportani-mals,toaddresstheabuseofonlinecertificates.Itsimportant to understand exactly what the law doesanddoes notdo. The big takeaway can be found in the lan-guage in part of the law: An emotional support animal reg-istration of any kind, including, but not limited to, an identi-fication card, patch, certificate or similar registration obtainedfrom the internet is not, by itself, sufficient information to reli-ablyestablishthatapersonhasadisabilityoradisability-related need for an emotional support animal. P URSUANT TO S ECTION 760.27OF other words, you cannot charge a different sources.THE F LORIDA S TATUTES : pet fee/deposit for an ESA. This Establishing the person hasIt is unlawful to discriminate in part of the law effectively mirrors a disability:the provision of housing to a per- existing federal law. (Note: A per- When not readily apparent, youson with a disability or disability- son with a disability or a disability- are able to ask for reliable informa-related need for, and who has at or related need is liable for any dam- tion that reasonably supports thatat any time obtains, an emotional age done to the premises or to the person has a disability. Thesupport animal. Translation: If a another person on the premises by statute goes on to list supportingprospective buyer or tenant has an his or her ESA.) information that may be provided,ESA or, at any point time obtains So what can a housing provider including:an ESA, the housing provider may ask of a person with an ESA? The 1) A determination of disabilitynot discriminate on this basis.statute breaks down what may be from any federal, state or local gov-A person, i.e. a buyer or tenant, requested in relation to what the ernment agencywith a disability or disability-related housing provider is trying to estab- 2) Receipt of disability benefitsneed must be allowed to keep the lish: One, that the person does, in or services from any federal, state oranimal in his or her dwelling as a fact, have a disability, and two, the local government agencyreasonable accommodation in disability-related need for an ESA. 3) Proof of eligibility for hous-housing. Additionally, they cannot Its important to note that this ing assistance or a housing voucherbe charged extra for the animal. In information could come from received because of a disability.Continued on following page F8 - Suncoast Review Summer 2022 www.SuncoastCAI.com'