An Act to enable the blind and the otherwise physically disabled to participate fully in the social and economic life of the District of Columbia
PL 92-515 (H.R.11032), enacted 10/21/1972

970 
PUBLIC LAW 92-515-OCT. 21, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
Fish and wild-
life resources. 
16 u s e 460Z-12 
note. 
84 Stat. 75. 
Water use, re-
striction. 
68 Stat. 902. 
Appropriation. 
outstanding marketable public obligations, which are neither due nor 
callable for redemption for fifteen years from date of issue. 
SEC. 503. The conservation and development of the fish and wildlife 
resources and the enhancement of recreation opportunities in connec-
tion with the North Loup division shall be in accordance with provi-
sions of the Federal Water Project Recreation Act (79 Stat. 213). 
SEC. 504. The North Loup division shall be integrated, physically 
and financially, with the other Federal works in the Missouri Basin 
constructed or authorized to be constructed under the comprehensive 
plans approved by section 9 of the Act of December 22,1944 (58 Stat. 
891), as amended and supplemented. 
SEC. 505. The North Loup division shall be so constructed and 
operated that no water shall be diverted from either the Calamus or 
the North Loup Rivers for any use by the division during the months 
of July and August each year; and no water shall be diverted from 
said rivers during the month of September each year whenever during 
said month there is sufficient water available in the division storage 
reservoirs to deliver the design capacity of the canals receiving water 
from said reservoirs. 
SEC. 506. For a period of ten years from the date of enactment of 
this Act, no water from the project authorized by this Act shall be 
delivered to any water user for the production on newly irrigated 
lands of any basic agricultural commodity, as defined in the Agri-
cultural Act of 1949 (63 Stat. 1051; 7 U.S.C. 1421 note), or any amend-
ment thereof, if the total supply of such commodity for the marketing 
year in which the bulk of the crop would normally be marketed is in 
excess of the normal supply as defined in section 301(b) (10) of the 
Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (62 Stat. 1251; 7 U.S.C. 1301), 
as amended, unless the Secretary of Agriculture calls for an increase 
in production of such commodity in the interest of national security. 
SEC. 507. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for con-
struction of the North Loup division as authorized in this Act the sum 
of $79,500,000 (based upon January 1972 prices), plus or minus such 
amounts, if any, as may be justified by reason of ordinary fluctuations 
in construction costs as indicated by engineering costs indexes appli-
cable to the types of construction involved herein. There are also 
authorized to be appropriated such additional sums as may be required 
for operation and maintenance of the division. 
Approved October 20, 1972. 
Public Law 92-515 
October 21, 1972 
AN ACT 
[H. R. 11032] 
rjQ enable the blind and the otherwise physically disabled to participate fully in 
the social and economic life of the District of Columbia. 
D.C. 
Blind and phys 
cally disabled 
persons. 
Rights. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
._ United States of America in Congress assembled, 
EQUAL ACCESS TO PUBLIC PLACES 
SECTION 1. The blind and the otherwise physically disabled have the 
same right as the able bodied to the full and free use of the streets, 
highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, and 
other public places in the District of Columbia. 
86 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-515-OCT. 21, 1972 
971 
EQUAL ACCESS TO PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND CON\TEYANCES 
SEC. 2. (a) The blind and the otherwise physically disabled are 
entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and 
privileges of all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad 
trains, motor buses, street cars, boats, or any other public conveyances 
or modes of transportation in the District of Columbia, hotels, lodging 
places, places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort, and 
other places to which the general public is invited in the District of 
Columbia, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by 
law or in accordance with law applicable alike to all persons. 
(b) Every blind person shall have the right to be accompanied by a 
°°^ glides. 
dog guide, especially trained for the purpose, in any of the places, 
accommodations, or conveyances listed in subsection (a), without being 
required to pay an extra charge for the dog guide; but any blind 
person so accompanied shall be liable for any damage done to the 
premises or facilities by such dog. 
SAFETY STANDARDS FOR DRIVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES 
SEC. 3. The driver of a vehicle in the District of Columbia approach-
ing a blind pedestrian who is carrying a cane predominantly white or 
metallic in color (with or without a red tip) or using a dog guide shall 
take all necessary precautions to avoid injury to such blind pedestrian, 
and any driver who fails to take such precautions shall be liable in 
damages for any injury caused such pedestrian. A blind pedestrian in 
the District of Columbia not carrying such a cane or using a dog guide 
in any of the places, accommodations, or conveyances listed in sections 
1 and 2 shall have all of the rights and privileges conferred by law on 
other persons, and the failure of such a blind pedestrian to carry such 
a cane or to use a dog guide in any such places, accommodations, or 
conveyances shall not be held to constitute nor be evidence of contribu-
tory negligence. 
DISCRIMINATION I N 
EMPLOYMENT 
SEC. 4. The blind and the otherwise physically disabled shall be 
employed by— 
(1) every individual, partnership, firm, association, or corpo-
ration, or the receiver, trustee, or successor thereof (exclusive of 
the Government of the United States or any agency thereof), doing 
business, and employing any individual for the purpose of such 
business, in the District of Columbia, and 
(2) the government of the District of Columbia, the Board of 
Education of the District of Columbia, the Board of Vocational 
Education of the District of Columbia, the Board of Higher Edu-
cation of the District of Columbia, and the Executive Officer of 
the District of Columbia courts, and all other employers supported 
in whole or in part by appropriations for the District of Columbia, 
on the same terms and conditions as the able bodied, unless it is shown 
that the particular disability prevents the performance of the work 
involved. 
972 
PUBLIC LAW 92-515-OCT. 21, 1972 
[86 STAT. 
EQUAL. ACCESS TO HOUSING 
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SEC. 5. (a) Blind persons and other physically disabled persons 
shall be entitled to full and equal access, as other members of tne gen-
eral public, to all housing accommodations offered for lent, lease, or 
compensation in the District of Columbia, subject to the conditions 
and limitations established by law or in accordance with law and 
applicable alike to all persons. 
Dog guides. 
(b) Every blind person who has a dog guide, or who obtains a dog 
guide, shall be entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommo-
dations referred to in this section, without being required to pay an 
extra charge for the dog guide; but such blind person shall be liable 
for any damage done to the premises by such dog. 
(c) Nothing in this section shall require any person renting, leas-
ing, or providing real property for compensation in the District of 
Columbia to modify his property in any way or to provide a higher 
degree of care for a blind person or otherwise physically disabled per-
son than for a person who is not physically disabled. 
-!fo,iiO'i'.M'' : 
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PENALTY 
:i9'^ i'. fo'i^ 
SEC. 6. Any person or the agent of any person in the District of 
Columbia who denies or interferes with admittance to or enjoyment 
of any of the places, accommodations, or conveyances listed in sections 
1 and 2 or otherwise interferes with the rights of a blind or otherwise 
disabled person under sections 1, 2, 4, and 5 shall be imprisoned for 
not longer than ninety days, or fined not more than $300, or both. 
WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY 
^^Commissioner 
gj-p 7 Each year, the Commissioner of the District of Columbia 
mationauthoriza- sliall take Suitable public notice of October 15 as White Cane Safety 
ti°"- 
Day. He shall issue a proclamation commenting upon the significance 
of the white cane, and calling upon the citizens of the District of 
Columbia to observe the provisions of this Act, to be aware of the 
presence of disabled persons in the community, to keep safe and 
functional for the disabled the streets, highways, sidewalks, walk-
ways, public buildings, public facilities, other public places, places of 
public accommodation, amusement, and resort, and other places to 
which the public is invited, and to oflFer assistance to disabled persons 
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upon appropriate occasions. 
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DEFINITION 
SEC. 8. For purposes of this Act— 
(1) The term "blind person" means, and the term "blind" refers 
to, a person who is totally blind, has impaired vision of not more 
than 20/200 visual acuity in the better eye and for whom vision 
cannot be improved to better than 20/200, or who has loss of vision 
due wholly or in part to impairment of field vision or to other 
factors which affect the usefulness of vision to a like degree. 
(2) The term "otherwise physically disabled" refers to an indi-
vidual who has a medically determinable physical impairment 
(other than blindnessj which interferes with his ability to move 
about, to assist himseli, or to engage in an occupation. 
Approved October 21, 1972.