Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB668: Crimes and offenses; change references to assistance and guide dogs to service dogs
Status: Signed into law, May 11, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16, Chapter 4 of Title 30, and Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, rights of persons with disabilities, and uniform rules of the road, respectively, so as to change references to assistance and guide dogs to service dogs; to provide for definitions and conforming changes; to provide for a criminal penalty for a person who causes death or physical harm to a service dog; to provide for exceptions; to revise provisions relating to the use and training of service dogs; to provide for a penalty for persons who misrepresent the need for a service dog; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Title 16, Chapter 4 of Title 30, and Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, rights of persons with disabilities, and uniform rules of the road, respectively, so as to change references to assistance and guide dogs to service dogs; to provide for definitions and conforming changes; to provide for a criminal penalty for a person who causes death or physical harm to a service dog; to provide for exceptions; to revise provisions relating to the use and training of service dogs…
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Title 16, Chapter 4 of Title 30, and Chapter 6 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, rights of persons with disabilities, and uniform rules of the road, respectively, so as to change references to assistance and guide dogs to service dogs; to provide for definitions and conforming changes; to provide for a criminal penalty for a person who causes death or physical harm to a service dog; to provide for exceptions; to revise provisions relating to the use and training of service dogs; to provide for a penalty for persons who misrepresent the need for a service dog; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to crimes and offenses, is amended in Chapter 11, relating to offenses against public order and safety, by revising Code Section 16-11-107.1, relating to harassment of assistance dog by humans or other dogs and penalty, as follows: "16-11-107.1. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: H. B. LC 46 1003 (1) 'Assistance dog' means a dog that is or has been trained by a licensed or certified person, organization, or …