HOUSE BILL NO. 5405

January 23, 2024, Introduced by Reps. Paiz, Tsernoglou, Dievendorf, Glanville, Coffia and Miller and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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 an individual who has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction, or has limitation of his or her the individual's 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 individual 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 Except as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3), 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 individual, or the blind individual's 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 individual, or the blind individual's 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.