SB 51 Summary

• Removes persons with severe disabilities from eligibility to operate vending facilities on public property, limiting licenses to blind persons only.

• Establishes blind persons as having first priority for vending facility contracts on public property, with blind persons now the exclusive primary class of licensees.

• Requires the agency to directly contact blind persons and work with private organizations specializing in blind employment when vending facility vacancies occur, rather than relying solely on newspaper advertising.

• Allows the agency to temporarily contract with non-blind operators only if no qualifying blind person can be located, until a blind person becomes available.

• Permits a blind person already operating one vending facility to operate additional facilities if the agency cannot find other blind operators.