Gov. Tim Walz signs bill supporting service dogs in training

ST. PAUL — Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill Thursday, May 8, expanding support for service dogs in training, marking the first bill-signing ceremony of the legislative session.

Minnesota law

already prohibits housing discrimination

against individuals with active service dogs. Now, the law will prevent the same for individuals training service dogs who are part of an organization accredited by Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation to train service dogs.

The new law will also prohibit any extra fees for those seeking accommodation with a service dog in training, but permit liability for any damages to the property caused by the dog.

“These are not pets,” Walz said at the signing. “These are not nice-to-have things. These are absolutely critical to the quality of life to the people who need them and the folks who train them.”

Mary Murphy / Forum News Service

Walz was joined by the authors of the bill, Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, and Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope.

“This is one of those small things that we do in the course of the legislative session that often does not get the attention that it deserves,” Westlin said. “And this bill actually changes lives. This will ensure that individuals who actively train service dogs will have full and equal access to housing.”

Also present was Jeff Johnson, executive director of Can Do Canines, and affected individuals with service dogs, Lydia Roseth, a Hamline University student with service dog Flint, and Jessica Eggert, from the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, with service dog Jessie.

“I have been able to take on more academically and socially than I could have ever possibly imagined. He not only has changed my life, but he has saved my life,” Roseth said.

A landlord or a board of a homeowners association may require written certification from the organization supervising the training as a condition of granting an accommodation, and may terminate the accommodation upon completion of the training.

The new law

takes effect Aug. 1.

Mary Murphy joined Forum Communications in October 2024 as the Minnesota State Correspondent. She can be reached by email at mmurphy@forumcomm.com.