The organized blind realized that as a result of the 1919 Act only partial financial assistance was being afforded to a small portion of California’s needy blind citizens, and they knew only too well the complete financial dependence of most of the State’s blind on the bounty of relatives (who themselves were often impecunious). Under the leadership of Dr. Newel Perry, the blind movement sponsored an initiative in 1928 which would, if approved by the electorate, amend Article IV, Section 22 of the of the state’s Constitution by giving the legislature “the power to grant aid to the needy blind persons not inmates of an institution supported in whole or in part by the state or any of its political subdivisions.” On November 6, 1928 this amendment to the Constitution was approved by the people of California by an overwhelming popular vote of almost five to one.
In 1929 the Legislature enacted Chapter 529, Statutes of 1929. On May 28, 1929 the first California plan providing state aid for needy blind was approved by Governor C. C. Young and became operative on August 14, 1929.