_____________
bill NO. _____________
INTRODUCED
BY _________________________________________________
By Request of the ****
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT creating the offense of MISREPRESENTATION of an emotional support animal; providing definitions; and providing a penalty."
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
NEW SECTION. Section 1. Misrepresentation of an emotional support animal. (1) A person commits the offense of misrepresentation of an emotional support animal if the person is a tenant and misrepresents that a pet is an emotional support animal to evade the terms of a rental agreement.
(2) A person convicted of the offense of misrepresentation of a service animal shall be fined $750.
(3) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Emotional support animal" means a pet prescribed by a mental health professional, as defined in 37-38-102, who is capable of issuing prescriptions.
(b) "Rental agreement" has the meaning provided in 70-24-103.
(c) "Tenant" has the meaning provided in 70-24-103.
(4) This section does not impact the rights of persons with service animals as provided in Title 49, chapter 4, part 2.
NEW SECTION. Section 2. Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 45, chapter 6, and the provisions of Title 45, chapter 6, apply to [section 1].