Virginia Law

Article 4. Business Enterprises for the Blind.

The Department is hereby authorized to operate vending stands and other business enterprises in public and private buildings for the purpose of providing blind persons with employment, enlarging the economic opportunities of the blind, and stimulating the blind to make themselves self-supporting.

Code 1950, § 63-204.2; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-143; 2002, c. 747.

Blind persons under the provisions of this article shall be authorized to operate vending stands and other business enterprises on any property where, in the discretion of the owner or custodian of the property, vending stands and other business enterprises may be properly and satisfactorily operated. No fee shall be charged to any blind person for operating a vending stand in or on any buildings, land or other property owned by or leased to the Commonwealth other than rights-of-way for interstate highways and property of community colleges; provided, however, that such blind vendors shall be responsible to the Commonwealth for the charges they incur for utilities.

Code 1950, § 63-204.3; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-144; 1994, c. 906; 2002, c. 747.

The Department may contract with any nominee to provide all necessary equipment and merchandise for the operation of the vending stand and business enterprise program in the rehabilitation of the blind.

Code 1950, § 63-204.4; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-145; 2002, c. 747.

The Department may contract with the nominee, as agent of the Department, to furnish services, including the purchase of vending stand and other business enterprise equipment and stock, the collection of the funds required to be set aside for the purposes specified in § 51.5-97 and the keeping of accounts.

Code 1950, § 63-204.5; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-146; 2002, c. 747.

The Department may contract with agencies of the federal government for the installation and supervision of vending stands and business enterprises on federal property in this Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 63-204.6; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-147; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall make surveys of vending stand and other business enterprise opportunities for blind persons in public and private buildings and other properties throughout the Commonwealth.

Code 1950, § 63-204.7; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-148; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall be the agency to license blind persons who are residents of the Commonwealth and who are at least eighteen years of age for the operation of vending stands and other business enterprises.

In licensing operators, the Department shall give preference to those blind persons who are in need of employment. Persons licensed shall be qualified to operate such vending stands and other business enterprises.

Code 1950, §§ 63-204.8, 63-204.11; 1968, c. 578, §§ 63.1-149, 63.1-152; 1972, c. 824; 1989, c. 314; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall be the agency to select the location of the vending stand and other business enterprise, to select the operator, and to provide all necessary supervision of the operator and the vending stand and other business enterprise.

Code 1950, § 63-204.9; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-150; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall perform such other duties as may be necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of this article.

Code 1950, § 63-204.10; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-151; 2002, c. 747.

All such privileges to operate vending stands and other business enterprises shall be revocable by the Department in accordance with departmental regulations.

Code 1950, § 63-204.12; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-153; 1992, c. 755; 2002, c. 747.

The Department, with the approval of the custodian having charge of the property on which the vending stand and other business enterprise is to be located, shall select the location for such vending stand and other business enterprise and the type of vending stand and other business enterprise to be provided.

Code 1950, § 63-204.13; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-154; 2002, c. 747.

When any vending stand or other business enterprise operated in a public building becomes vacant or a vacancy is created through the construction or acquisition of new public buildings or renovation or expansion of existing public buildings, the existence of such vacancies shall be made known to the Department. The Department acting on behalf of the blind shall have first priority in assuming the operation of such vending stand or business enterprise through placement of a properly trained blind person in such vacancy. This section shall not apply to vending stands or other business enterprises operated in (i) local government buildings, (ii) the State Capitol, or (iii) the legislative office buildings that shall be subject to the control of the Rules Committee of the House of Delegates and the Rules Committee of the Senate. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any locality may, by ordinance or resolution, provide for the Department to have first priority in assuming the operation of any vending stand or business enterprise located in a local government building.

Code 1950, § 63-204.14; 1950, p. 6; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-155; 1978, c. 497; 1979, c. 528; 1992, c. 755; 2002, c. 747; 2012, cc. 805, 836.

The Department shall provide blind persons licensed under this article with such vending stand and other business enterprise equipment and a stock of suitable articles to be vended therefrom as may be necessary.

Code 1950, § 63-204.15; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-156; 1989, c. 314; 2002, c. 747.

The ownership of all vending stands and other business enterprise equipment provided under this article shall, however, remain in the Department, or in the nominee of the Department.

Code 1950, § 63-204.16; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-157; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall require the nominee to make such reports in such form and containing such information as the Department may from time to time require.

Code 1950, § 63-204.17; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-158; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall require the nominee to comply with such provisions as the Department may from time to time find necessary.

Code 1950, § 63-204.18; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-159; 2002, c. 747.

If the Department, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing to the nominee, finds that the nominee has failed to comply substantially with the provisions of this article or the regulations issued thereunder, it shall notify the nominee that its designation as nominee is suspended until the Department is satisfied that there will no longer be any such failure. Until the Department is so satisfied, or in the event the nominee shall cease to exist, the Department may make such provision as it deems proper for the continued operation of the program established under the provisions of this article.

Code 1950, § 63-204.19; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-160; 2002, c. 747.

The Commissioner is authorized to adopt regulations for the administration of this article which shall, among other things, provide for the acquisition and disposition of the vending stand and other business enterprise equipment and other assets used in the operations pursuant to this article.

Code 1950, § 63-204.20; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-161; 1992, c. 755; 2002, c. 747.

The Department may require of its officers and employees the performance of such duties to effectuate this article as it deems proper.

Code 1950, § 63-204.21; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-162; 2002, c. 747.

The Department shall set aside or cause to be set aside from the net proceeds of the operations authorized by this article such funds as may be necessary for the purpose of (i) maintenance and replacement of equipment, (ii) purchase of new equipment, (iii) management services, (iv) assuring a fair minimum return to vendors and (v) the establishment and maintenance of retirement or pension funds, health insurance contributions and the provision for paid sick leave and vacation time in accordance with the Randolph-Sheppard Act Amendments of 1974 (P.L. 93-516).

Code 1950, § 63-204.22; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-163; 1979, c. 96; 2002, c. 747.

A. Except as hereinafter provided, the Department, its nominee, and blind persons operating vending stands or other business enterprises under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be exempt from all state and local taxes.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, blind persons operating vending stands or other business enterprises under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be liable for the collection and remittance of any state or local retail sales taxes imposed or authorized by Chapter 6 (§ 58.1-600 et seq.) of Title 58.1 and local meals taxes imposed or authorized by Chapter 38 (§ 58.1-3800 et seq.) of Title 58.1 that are actually collected or collectible from the purchaser unless the property on which such vending stands or other business enterprises are located has been acquired and used by the United States for any military or naval purpose within the Commonwealth and a post exchange or tax exempt concession is located and operated on such land, in which case such blind persons shall not be liable for the collection and remittance of such state or local retail sales tax or local meals tax.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve any blind person operating vending stands or other business enterprises under the jurisdiction of the Department from the imposition of (i) local income taxes, (ii) state income taxes or (iii) other taxes imposed that are unrelated to the operation of such vending stands or other business enterprises.

Code 1950, § 63-204.23; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-164; 1970, c. 198; 1989, c. 314; 2002, c. 747.

Any person aggrieved by any act of the Department or of its agents or employees or of its nominee in the administration of this article may appeal such act in accordance with Article 5 (§ 2.2-4025 et seq.) of the Administrative Process Act.

Code 1950, § 63-204.24; 1968, c. 578, § 63.1-165; 1996, c. 573; 2002, c. 747.

A. The Department, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, is authorized to operate vending machines at rest areas on the interstate highways in the Commonwealth and to use the net proceeds from such operations to establish and operate vending stands and other business enterprises as defined in Article 1 (§ 51.5-60 et seq.) and to provide health insurance for blind vendors.

B. The Department of General Services shall conduct the procurement process for contracts for goods or services authorized by the Department under subsection A, including (i) preparing the solicitation document that will be used, (ii) the evaluating of responses to the issued solicitation, and (iii) making the award decision on the basis of the final scoring of bids or proposals.

1990, c. 385, § 63.1-75.1; 1992, c. 755; 1993, c. 923; 2002, c. 747; 2016, c. 596.