Establishes pilot program in DOE to use therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs.
Summary
This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to create a three-year pilot program to study the academic and health benefits of using therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs. School districts that want to participate must apply to the commissioner and provide information about their elementary schools, student enrollment, current wellness-program participation, and how they would use therapy dogs to support student wellness.
The commissioner would select two districts from each of the State’s southern, central, and northern regions, while also aiming for a mix of urban, suburban, and rural districts. The Department of Education would then provide guidance on how therapy dogs may be used in schools, including suggested student activities, handler training, animal health and behavior standards, and insurance considerations. By June 30 of the third school year after the program begins, the commissioner must report to the Governor and Legislature on whether the pilot improved student academic performance and health outcomes.
Impact
The bill would create a new DOE-administered pilot program rather than permanently changing school law statewide. It authorizes selected public elementary school districts to incorporate therapy dogs into wellness programming under state guidance, and it requires the Department of Education to develop practical parameters around training, animal welfare, and liability/insurance issues. The main statutory effect is to add a temporary education pilot and reporting requirement, with no direct mandate for all districts to participate.
Sentiment
The available bill materials suggest a generally positive and exploratory tone. The proposal is framed as a wellness and student-support initiative, with bipartisan sponsorship and no recorded committee testimony or votes showing opposition in the provided context. Because the bill is a pilot program, it appears designed to test benefits before any broader policy adoption, which may make it more palatable to a range of lawmakers and school stakeholders.
Contention
The main points of concern implied by the bill are operational rather than ideological: how therapy dogs will be handled in schools, what training handlers must have, how the animals’ health and behavior will be monitored, and how insurance and liability will be managed on school property. Another likely issue is selection fairness, since only six districts total would participate, raising questions about representativeness and access. No specific objections were recorded in the provided transcripts or vote history.