March 21, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Singh, Theis, Wittenberg, Lucido, Faris and Gay-Dagnogo and referred to the Committee on Law and Justice.
A bill to amend 1937 PA 10, entitled
"An act to define the use of travel aids by blind persons; to
provide protection against accidents to such persons; to require
instruction and examination in certain circumstances; and to
provide penalties for violation hereof,"
by amending sections 1a and 3 (MCL 752.51a and 752.53), section 1a
as amended by 2002 PA 401 and section 3 as amended by 1986 PA 62.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1a. As used in this act:
(a) "Blind" means a person who has a visual acuity of 20/200
or less in the better eye with correction, or has limitation of his
or her field of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual
field subtends an angular distance not greater than 20 degrees.
(b) "Cane" means an aid used by a blind pedestrian for travel
and identification purposes that is predominantly white or metallic
in color with or without a red tip.
(c) "Crosswalk" means that term as defined in section 10 of
the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.10.
(d) "Dog guide" means a dog, in harness, that has been
formally trained and that is used by a blind person as a travel
aid.
(e) "Walker" means an aid used by a blind pedestrian for
travel and identification purposes that is white in color or has
white legs with or without a red tip.
Sec. 3. (1) A person who violates section 2(1) is guilty of a
misdemeanor , punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days
,
or by a fine of not more less than
$100.00 and not more than
$500.00, or both.
(2) A person who violates section 2(1) causing injury to a
blind person, or his or her dog guide, is guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of
not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(3) A person who violates section 2(1) causing the death of a
blind person, or his or her dog guide, is guilty of a felony
punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years or a fine of
not more than $7,500.00, or both.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days
after the date it is enacted into law.