§ 43-33-70 — Right of blind and other physically disabled persons to equal access to housing accommodations.

(a) Blind persons, visually handicapped persons, and other physically disabled persons shall be entitled to full and equal access, as other members of the general public, to all housing accommodations offered for rent, lease, or compensation in this State, subject to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons. (b) "Housing accommodations" means any real property, or portion thereof, which is used or occupied or is intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied, as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings, but shall not include any accommodations, included within subsection (a) or any single-family residence the occupants of which rent, lease, or furnish for compensation not more than one room therein. (c) Nothing in this section shall require any person renting, leasing, or providing for compensation real property to modify his property in any way or provide a higher degree of care for a blind person, visually handicapped person, or other physically disabled person than for a person who is not physically disabled. (d) Every handicapped person who has an assistance dog, or who obtains an assistance dog, is entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommodations provided for in this section. Each handicapped person is not required to pay extra compensation for the dog but is liable for any damage done to the premises by the dog.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 71-300.57; 1972 (57) 2617; 1983 Act No. 57 SECTION 3; 1987 Act No. 147 SECTION 3, eff June 4, 1987. ARTICLE 3 Discrimination Against the Handicapped in Psychometric Testing Procedures