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Alabama State Attorney General
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11 South Union Street, Third Floor
Montgomery, AL 36130
Tel: (334)-242-7300
Alabama Department of Human Resources
Department of Human Resources
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50 Ripley Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
Tel: (334) 242-1550
Search Alabama State Code and Constitution (ALISON)
| Applies To | Guide and Hearing dogs; no reference to other kinds of service dogs (21-7-4) |
| Trainers | Trainers from accredited schools only; same access as for a person with a disability (21-7-3, 21-7-4) |
| Penalties | Access denial is a misdemeanor (3-1-7, 13A-5-7, 21-7-5) |
| Other |
(b) The condition of blindness may be proved by a blind person claiming any rights or benefits provided under any statute of this state by certificate of a duly licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist.
(c) Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Alabama State Department of Human Resources from establishing a different definition of blindness for use in determining eligibility for blind assistance under the program administered by it as provided for in Section 38-4-1, or from establishing procedures and qualifying personnel to determine the existence of blindness within such definition so established for such purpose or from reviewing any such determination so made to determine the correctness of such decision in its supervisory power in the administration of the blind assistance program.
No owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation, amusement or recreation, including, but not limited to, any inn, hotel, restaurant, eating establishment, barbershop, billiard parlor, store, public conveyance, theater, motion-picture house, public educational institution, or elevator shall refuse to permit a guide dog to accompany a blind person entering the place or making use of the accommodations available when the blind person is being led by the guide dog; if the guide dog is wearing a harness; and the blind person presents for inspection credentials issued by an accredited school for training guide dogs or the dog is being trained by a person employed by an accredited school for training guide dogs. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction shall be fined an amount not to exceed fifty dollars ($50).
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(g) Canine corps dogs and seeing eye dogs shall be exempt from the quarantine period where such exposure occurs in the line of duty and evidence of proper immunization against rabies is presented, but shall be examined immediately at the end of 10 days by a licensed veterinarian, who shall report the results of his examination to the appropriate health officer as previously authorized.
(a) Sentences for misdemeanors shall be a definite term of imprisonment in the county jail or to hard labor for the county, within the following limitations:
(1) For a Class A misdemeanor, not more than one year.
(2) For a Class B misdemeanor, not more than six months.
(3) For a Class C misdemeanor, not more than three months.
(b) Sentences for violations shall be for a definite term of imprisonment in the county jail, not to exceed 30 days.
The blind, the visually handicapped and the otherwise physically disabled are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, streetcars, boats or any other public conveyances or modes of transportation, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement or resort and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons.
Every totally or partially blind person shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog, especially trained for the purpose, and every hearing-impaired person shall have the right to be accompanied by a hearing dog, especially trained for the purpose, and every person employed by an accredited school for training guide dogs shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog in training in any of the places listed in Section 21-7-3 without being required to pay an extra charge for the dog however, the person shall be liable for any damages done to the premises or facilities by the dog.
Any person, firm or corporation, or the agent of any person, firm or corporation, who denies or interferes with admittance to or enjoyment of the public facilities enumerated in Sections 21-7-2 and 21-7-3 or otherwise interferes with the rights of a totally or partially blind or otherwise disabled person under Sections 21-7-2 through 21-7-4 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
The driver of a vehicle approaching a totally or partially blind pedestrian who is carrying a cane predominantly white or metallic in color, with or without a red tip, or using a guide dog, or a person employed by an accredited school for training guide dogs who provides notice through a sign or other method that he or she is training a dog as a guide dog shall take all necessary precautions prescribed by law to avoid injury to the blind pedestrian, and the dog trainer. Any driver who fails to take all necessary precautions shall be liable in damages for any injury caused the pedestrian, or the guide dog trainer.
A totally or partially blind pedestrian not carrying a cane as described in Section 21-7-6 or any totally or partially blind person not using a guide dog in any of the places, accommodations or conveyances listed in Sections 21-7-2 and 21-7-3 shall have all of the rights and privileges conferred by law upon other persons, and the failure of a totally or partially blind pedestrian to carry such a cane or of a totally or partially blind person to use a guide dog in any such places, accommodations or conveyances shall not be held to constitute nor be evidence of contributory negligence.
It is the policy of this state that the blind, the visually handicapped and the otherwise physically disabled shall be employed in the state service, the service of the political subdivisions of the state, in the public schools and in all other employment supported in whole or in part by public funds on the same terms and conditions as the able-bodied, unless it is shown that the particular disability prevents the performance of the work involved.
(a) Blind persons, visually handicapped persons and other physically disabled persons shall be entitled to full and equal access, as are other members of the general public, to all housing accommodations offered for rent, lease or compensation in this state, subject to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons.
(b) "Housing accommodations" means any real property or portion thereof which is used or occupied or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings, but shall not include any accommodations included within subsection (a) of this section or any single-family residence, the occupants of which rent, lease or furnish for compensation not more than one room therein.
(c) Nothing in this section shall require any person renting, leasing or providing for compensation real property to modify his property in any way or provide a higher degree of care for a blind person, visually handicapped person or other physically disabled person than for a person who is not physically disabled.
(d) Every totally or partially blind person who has a guide dog or who obtains a guide dog shall be entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommodations provided for in this section, and he shall not be required to pay extra compensation for such guide dog, but shall be liable for any damage done to the premises by such guide dog.
Each year, the Governor shall take suitable public notice of October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. He shall issue a proclamation in which:
(1) He comments upon the significance of the white cane;
(2) He calls upon the citizens of the state to observe the provisions of the White Cane Law and to take precautions necessary to the safety of the disabled;
(3) He reminds the citizens of the state of the policies with respect to the disabled herein declared and urges the citizens to cooperate in giving effect to them; and
(4) He emphasizes the need of the citizens to be aware of the presence of disabled persons in the community and to keep safe and functional for the disabled the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, other public places, places of public accommodation, amusement and resort and other places to which the public is invited, and to offer assistance to disabled persons upon appropriate occasions.