(a) Any legally blind person in this state whose loss of sight necessitates a guide dog for mobility purposes, which has been obtained from a recognized school of training for such purposes, may not be denied the right to lease an apartment or other types of dwellings as a consequence of having a guide dog.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C misdemeanorup to 30 daysup to $50
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 66-7-106

  • 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
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Because the guide dog is essential to the mobility of its master, no deposit may be required to be paid, with respect to the dog, by the legally blind person to the owner, manager, landlord or agent of any such attendance.
(c) No restrictions may be imposed upon the legally blind person regarding the whereabouts of the animal so long as its master is in attendance.
(d) Any owner, manager, landlord or agent who refuses to lease living space to any legally blind person because of a guide dog, or violates this section, commits a Class C misdemeanor.
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