§ 40-9-11.1. Authorization to establish vending facilities for the blind on state property. (a) For the purposes of providing persons who are blind or visually impaired with remunerative employment, enlarging the economic opportunities people who are blind or visually impaired, and stimulating people who are blind or visually impaired to greater efforts in striving to make themselves self-supporting, persons who are blind or visually impaired licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall be authorized to operate vending facilities on any state property.

(b) In authorizing the operation of vending facilities on state property, priority shall be given to persons who are blind or visually impaired licensed by the department of human services administering state services for people who are blind or visually impaired as provided in the Randolph-Sheppard Act, P.L. 74-732, as amended by P.L. 83-565 and P.L. 93-516, 20 U.S.C. § 107 et seq. The director of human services shall, after consultation with the director of administration and other heads of departments, agencies, or instrumentalities of the state in control of the maintenance, operation, and protection of state property, prescribe regulations designed to assure that:

(1) The priority under this section is given to licensed persons who are blind or visually impaired (including the assignment of vending machine income pursuant to § 40-9-11.5 to achieve and protect such priority), and

(2) Wherever feasible, one or more vending facilities are established on all state property to the extent that any facility or facilities would not adversely affect the interest of the state.

History of Section. (P.L. 1978, ch. 37, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 99; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 99.)