Tenants with disabilities may request to keep an emotional support animal.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: Emotional Support Animals for Tenants with Disabilities

This bill would update Rhode Island's Fair Housing Practices Act to specifically address the rights of tenants with disabilities to request permission to keep an emotional support animal in their home. Under the bill, a tenant with a disability could formally ask their landlord to allow an emotional support animal, even in housing that otherwise has a "no pets" policy. An emotional support animal is different from a pet — it provides comfort and therapeutic benefit to people with certain physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.

The bill primarily affects renters with disabilities and their landlords. For tenants, it would create a clearer, more defined process for requesting an accommodation to keep an emotional support animal. For landlords, it would establish guidelines around when and how they must consider such requests. This kind of arrangement is sometimes called a "reasonable accommodation" in housing law.

It's worth noting that federal fair housing law already provides some protections for people with disabilities seeking to keep emotional support animals. This bill appears aimed at clarifying or strengthening those protections specifically under Rhode Island state law, potentially making the process more straightforward for residents.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and was recommended to be held for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward toward a full vote. A hearing has been scheduled for March 2026.