Regulatory Information in Tennessee

This section of our Web site contains blindness-related legislation in Tennessee. A number of laws exist in Tennessee to assure equal opportunity for the blind in housing, employment, and protection of rights of public access including access to public facilities and the right to lease housing with a guide dog. Check this section for information on laws and regulations which significantly affect the rights of blind people in Tennessee.

Tennessee White Cane Law

This legislation guarrantees a blind person the right to enter public establishments and to use all modes of public transportation in the State of Tennessee accompanied by a guide dog. It also grants blind individuals who use guide dogs the right to lease housing by making it an offence to deny a blind person the right to rent such housing on account of a guide dog. The law imposes severe penalties for those who violate these regulations.

Tennessee White Cane Law

Tennessee Little Randolph-Shepherd Act:

To reduce unemployment among the blind the U.S. Congress enacted the Randolph-Shepherd Act to expand entrepreneurial opportunities for blind persons by granting a priority to manage and operate vending facilities on Federal Property. The Tennessee General Assembly made the same commitment, with the passage of (TCA-71-4-501 which with regard to property controlled by state or local government entities to grant to blind individuals the greatest possible opportunities to operate vending facilities so they may become self-supporting. Read the entire text of this bill by selecting the link below:

<Tennessee Little Randolph-Shepherd Act