(a)  “Licensed operator” means a person who is blind or visually impaired who has received from the state services for persons who are blind or visually impaired a license that entitles the person to operate a vending facility, receive the profits therefrom, and take responsibility for the continuous maintenance of the facility to which he or she is assigned.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 40-9-11.6

  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

(b)  “Person who is blind or visually impaired” means a person whose visual acuity is found to be twenty/two hundred (20/200) or less in the better eye with best correction, or visual acuity of better than twenty/two hundred (20/200) if the widest diameter of the field of vision subtends an angle no greater than twenty (20) degrees. Blindness shall be determined by a physician skilled in the diseases of the eye, and certification thereof shall be made by the ophthalmological consultant at the state services for people who are blind or visually impaired.

(c)  “State property” means any building, land, or other real property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency, or instrumentality wholly owned by the state, unless, with respect to any building, land, or other real property, leased or rented by the state, the lease or rental agreement shall prohibit the establishment of the vending facilities. The state shall use its best efforts to obtain permission to establish vending facilities in buildings, land, or other real property hereafter leased or rented by the state.

(d)  “Vending facility” means automatic vending machines, cafeterias, snack bars, cart service, shelters, counters, and other appropriate auxiliary equipment necessary for the sale of newspapers, periodicals, confections, tobacco products, foods, beverages, and other articles or services dispensed automatically or manually and prepared on or off the premises in accordance with all applicable health laws, as determined by the state services for people who are blind or visually impaired, and including the vending or exchange of chances for any lottery authorized by state law.

History of Section.
P.L. 1978, ch. 37, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 99; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 99.