CHAPTER 71

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2-259.2, 15-712, 22-9, 22-262, 68-162, and
63-204.1 of the Code of Virginia, all of which relate to the Virginia
Commission for the Blind, so as to change its name. fH 147]

Approved February 27, 1954
Re it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 2-259.2, 15-712, 22-9, 22-262, 63-162, and 63-204.1 of the
Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted, as follows:

§ 2-259.2. All such services, articles and commodities as (1) are re-
quired for purchase by the Comptroller, by any person authorized by
him to make purchases or by any person authorized to make purchases in
behalf of the Commonwealth and their departments, agencies and insti-
tutions, (2) are performed or produced by persons or in schools or work-
shops under the supervision of the Virginia Commission for the * Visually
Handicapped, (8) are available for sale by it and (4) conform to the
standards established by the Comptroller shall be purchased from the
Commission at the fair market price. When convenience or emergency
requires it the executive secretary of the Commission may upon request
of the purchasing officer relieve him from the obligations of this section.
Any purchasing officer who violates its provisions shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and upon conviction punished accordingly.

§ 15-712. The board of supervisors or council of any county, city
or town in the Commonwealth may, by ordinance or otherwise, grant per-
mission to any blind person to construct, maintain and operate, under the
supervision of the Virginia Commission for the * Visually Handicapped,
in the county courthouse or city hall, or other appropriate place adjacent
thereto, a stand for the sale of newspapers, periodicals, confections,
tobacco products and similar articles and may prescribe all needful rules
and regulations for the conduct of any such stand so permitted.

§ 22-9. When six or more blind or partially blind children are
found in a county or city, the local school authorities, in co-operation with
the Virginia Commission for the * Visually Handicapped, may establish
and maintain special classes for their education in the public schools,
which classes shall be operated jointly by the local school board and the
Virginia Commission for the * Visually Handicapped. For the practical
interpretation of this section a definition of a blind or partially blind child
is as follows: A blind child is a child who does not have useful vision or
who cannot see large objects at close range. A partially blind child is a
child who has twenty-seventieths vision or less in the best eye, or one
who has some progressive eye trouble, which, in the opinion of a competent
ophthalmologist, makes it necessary for the child to attend a special
school, or a special class in the public schools.

§ 22-262. The principal teacher of every public school in the coun-
ties and towns and the truant officers of the cities shall, within thirty
days from the beginning of the school year, furnish the division super-
intendent and the county or city school board with the names of all
children who are blind or partially blind or deaf between the ages of
seven and sixteen years, inclusive, living within the boundaries of his or
her school district who do not attend school. It shall be the duty of the
school board to certify forthwith the names of all such deaf children to
the respective superintendents of the State schools for the deaf, and of
all such blind or partially blind children to the Virginia Commission for
the * Visually Handicapped and to the superintendents of the schools for
the blind whose duty it shall be to investigate all cases of nonenrollment
of such blind children, and when no valid reason is found therefor, such
child or children shall be required to attend school as provided in § 22-254.

§ 63-162. The Virginia Commission for the Blind shall, after July
one, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, be known as the Virginia Commis-
ston for the Visually Handicapped, and shall consist of seven members
who shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of seven years each,
one term beginning each year. Vacancies occurring on the Commission
shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term. All appointments
hereunder shall be made without reference to party affiliations, but solely
on account of the fitness of the appointees to discharge their duties as
members of the Commission. The membership of the Commission, how-
ever, shall at all times include at least two alumni of the Virginia School
for the Blind, or of the department for the blind of the Virginia School
for the Deaf and the Blind, at Staunton. Four members of the Com-
mission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any lawful
business.

Wherever in the laws of this State reference is made to the Virginia
Commission for the Blind, such reference shall be deemed to be to the
Virginia Commission for the Visually Handicapped.

§ 63-204.1. The following terms, whenever used in this article, shall
have the meanings respectively set forth unless a different meaning is
clearly required by the context:

(a) “Commission” means the Virginia Commission for the * Visually
Handicapped.

(b) “Blind person” means a person having not more than 20/200
visual acuity in the better eye with correcting lenses; or visual acuity
greater than 20/200 but with a limitation in the field of vision such that
the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20
degrees. Such blindness shall be certified by a duly licensed ophthal-
mologist.

(c) “Custodian” means any person or group of persons having the
authority to grant permission for the installation and operation of vend-
ing stands and other business enterprises.

(d) “Vending stand” means an installation in any public or private
building for the sale of newspapers, periodicals, confections, tobacco prod-
ucts, soft drinks, ice cream, wrapped foods and such other articles as
may be approved by the custodian thereof and the Commission.

(e) “Business enterprise’? means any business, other than a vending
oan wherein the initial installation cost does not exceed three thousand

ollars.

(f) “Nominee” means any non-profit corporation familiar with work
for the blind and in the placement of the blind.

(g) “Public and private buildings and other properties throughout
the Commonwealth” means buildings, land, or other property owned by
or leased to the State or a political subdivision, including a municipality,
or a coporation or individual.