For individuals who are legally blind, the California White Cane Law affords the right to independence, self-determination, and the freedom to navigate society with the same ease as those who are sighted.
Such legislation was not a new concept, only the latest legal development. In 1930 in Peoria, Illinois, the Lions Club sought to mandate that motorists share in the responsibility for safe street crossing by blind people. The Lions Club lobbied the city to pass an ordinance that required motorists to yield the right of way to individuals who identified themselves as legally blind by carrying red-tipped white canes. The following year, a statewide white cane law was enacted, and Lions Clubs expanded their efforts nationally, seeking passage of similar laws in all states.
Initially, white canes were used primarily as a form of identification, alerting others that the user was blind. The cane technique was rather dramatic, with the blind person waving the cane back and forth at chest level in the hope that motorists would see the cane and stop.
The City of Los Angeles passed an ordinance in October 1933 prohibiting anyone not totally blind or partially sighted from carrying a red-tipped white cane. Additional progress was made in 1935, when California’s first White Cane Law was passed to protect blind citizens throughout the state. That law required a sighted motorist to come to a complete stop when approaching a person with a red-tipped white cane and to make sure of that person’s safety before proceeding.
Thirty-three years later, State Senator Donald Grunsky introduced the Model White Cane law, as proposed by tenBroek, to the Legislature, seeking to expand and update previous legislation. In July 1968, then-Governor Ronald Reagan signed Senate Bill 369 into law, making California only the 12th state to adopt a comprehensive white cane law. Today, all states have laws.
The California White Cane law extends to people who are blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled the right to use the street, highways, sidewalks, walkways, and public buildings and facilities with complete freedom. There are additional provisions that address
Fair employment practices.
White Cane Safety Day: The law includes a provision that requires the governor to proclaim October 15 as White Cane Safety Day. He declares with comments on the provisions of the law that call upon all citizens to take precautions for the safety of people with disabilities.
Transportation: The right of free access also extends to the use of public conveyances such as automobiles, buses, trains, airplanes, and ships. It assures those with physical impairments the right to use public telephones, hotels, motels, and other accommodations and places of amusement with complete freedom, subject only to laws and limitations that affect everyone.
The Vehicle Code: For sighted people to be able to tell immediately that a person is partially or totally blind, a white cane with or without a red tip may be carried by that person while in public, although this is not mandatory. The white cane always gives blind pedestrians the right of way. Drivers must yield to them by coming to a complete stop or taking reasonable precautions to ensure their safety. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor. Only people who are legally blind are allowed to carry a white cane in public.
Guide Dogs: All individuals who are blind, hearing-impaired, or deaf have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog or signal dog anywhere they choose to go, without incurring an extra charge for the dog, provided they are liable for any damage incurred by the animal—this include restaurants, where dogs otherwise are not allowed.
Violations: Any person, firm, or corporation that denies admittance to people who are blind, interferes with their enjoyment of any public facility, or otherwise interferes with their rights is subject to court action and, if ruled against, can be fined up to $ 1,000 plus damages for each offense. Anyone whose rights under the provisions of the White Cane Law are violated may bring an action against the violator. In addition, action against violators can be brought by a district attorney, city attorney, the state attorney general, or the state Department of Rehabilitation.
Public Awareness: The White Cane is recognized as an indicator of blindness; efforts continue to raise greater public awareness of the white cane and its provision to ensure the comfort and safety of our citizens who are legally blind.
References:
California Civil Code, Division 1, Part 2.5. (n.d.). California Civil Code. Justia Law. Retrieved September 28, 2025, from https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-civ/division-1/part-2-5/
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. (n.d.). Expanded core curriculum (ECC). https://www.tsbvi.edu/programs/ecc
Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., Wehmeyer, M. L., & Shogren, K. A. (2020). The purposes, people, and law of special education (Chapter 1). In Exceptional lives: Special education in today’s schools (9th ed.). Pearson.