<Section effective upon occurrence of contingency specified in Acts 2025, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 6, § 2; Acts 2025, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 13, § 2.>

The Department shall:

1. (1) administer the Program;

2. (2) adopt regulations to implement the Program, including regulations establishing procedures for the Department to:

   1. (i) receive donations for the Fund; and
   2. (ii) use revenue from the Fund to pay selected nonprofit training entities for services that are provided through the Program; and

3. (3) select at least one nonprofit training entity to:

   1. (i) develop and implement a training protocol that will teach each Program participant methodologies, strategies, and techniques for partnering with service animals;
   2. (ii) select qualified Program participants;
   3. (iii) select an appropriate service animal for each Program participant;
   4. (iv) facilitate each Program participant's training using the nonprofit training entity's training protocol; and
   5. (v) partner each successful Program participant with the service animal on the Program participant's successful completion of the nonprofit training entity's training protocol.

Added by Acts 2025, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 6, § 1, eff. Jan. 15, 2026; Acts 2025, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 13, § 1, eff. Jan. 15, 2026.