(1) For the purpose of providing legally blind persons with remunerative employment, enlarging the economic opportunities of the blind, and stimulating the blind to greater efforts in striving to make themselves self-supporting, blind persons licensed under the provisions of this section, may operate vending facilities, snack bars or similar facilities in cooperation with the federal government in the furtherance of the provisions of the Vending Stand Act, of Congress known as the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Stand Act, dated June 20, 1936, as amended.

(2) Definitions as used in this section:

(a) “Blind person” shall mean any individual with insufficient vision to perform tasks for which sight is essential.

(b) “State agency” shall mean any department, commission, agency or instrumentality of the state.

(c) “State property or state building” means building and land controlled, leased or owned by the state, exclusive of a building and land controlled, leased or owned in whole or in part by schools, the Mississippi State Fair, or any of the colleges or universities.

(d) “Vending facility” includes a snack bar, concession stand, cafeteria, vending stand, vending machines or other facility at which food, drinks, novelties, newspapers, periodicals, confections, souvenirs, tobacco products, or other related items are regularly sold.

(e) “Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind” shall mean the rehabilitation agency for the blind created and empowered under Sections 37-33-53 et seq.

(3) The Director of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind shall, with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi School for the Blind and the Mississippi School for the Deaf, make regulations in conformity with the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Stand Act, as amended, and do all things necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of this section, including surveying opportunities for the operation of vending facilities by blind persons and collection of such set-aside funds, with such collections being placed in a special deposit fund to be used only for the following purposes authorized under the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Stand Act, as amended: (a) the maintenance and replacement of equipment; (b) management services; and (c) the purchase of new equipment.

(4) The person, board or legislative body having the care, custody and control of any state, county or municipal building are hereby authorized and empowered to permit the establishment and operation of vending facilities by blind persons duly licensed by Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind in any state, county or municipal building under their respective jurisdictions.

(5) In order to promote the employment and the self-sufficiency of blind persons in Mississippi, state agencies shall, upon the request of the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, give preference to blind persons in the operation of vending facilities on state property.

(6) On state property, where Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind determines that a vending facility should not be established or should not continue to operate due to insufficient revenues, Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind shall have the first opportunity to secure, by negotiation of a contract with one or more licensed commercial vendors, coin or currency operated vending machines for such state property location. Profits secured by Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind from such machines shall be used only for the support of vending facilities operated by Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind.

(7) If Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind determines that a location is suitable for the operation of a vending facility by a blind person, the state agency with authority over the location may provide proper space, plumbing, lighting and electrical outlets for the vending facility in the original planning and construction or in alteration or renovation of the present location. The state agency shall provide necessary utilities, janitorial services and garbage disposal for the operation of the vending facility. Space for the vending facility shall be provided without charge. It shall also be the duty of the state agencies to inform Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind in writing of existing or prospective vending facilities and coin or currency operated vending machines located on property under the control of the state agency.

(8) Where, on July 1, 1985, vending facilities are operated on state property by those other than blind persons, the contract or agreement for the provision of such vending facilities shall not be renewed or extended unless the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind is notified thereof, and he determines within thirty (30) days of the date of such notification that the vending facilities are not, or cannot become, suitable for operation by the blind. However, if the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind fails to provide for the operation of the vending facilities by the blind within thirty (30) days of such notification, the existing contract may be renewed or extended.

(9)

(a) This section is not intended to apply to food services provided by hospitals or residential institutions as a direct service to patients, inmates, trainees or institutionalized persons.

(b) This section shall not prohibit the continued use of coin-operated vending machines currently the property of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind.

(10) Any blind vendor operating such vending facility is subject to the provisions of any ordinance of the county or city in which the vending facility is located requiring a license or permit for the conduct of each business, but such license or permit may be issued free of charge to a blind vendor licensed by Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind pursuant to federal and state laws.