Section 55. Examination of blind or physically handicapped applicants

1.
  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, except  as  herein
  provided, neither the state civil service department nor the state civil
  service  commission  nor  any  municipal  civil service commission shall
  hereafter prohibit, prevent,  disqualify  or  discriminate  against  any
  person  who  is  physically  and  mentally  qualified,  from  competing,
  participating  or  registering  for  a  civil  service  competitive   or
  promotion   examination  or  from  qualifying  for  a  position  in  the
  classified civil service solely by reason of his  or  her  blindness  or
  other handicap; and any such rule, requirement, resolution or regulation
  shall be void.
    2. The state civil service department and each municipal civil service
  commission   shall  cooperate  with  the  commission  for  the  visually
  handicapped in the state department of social services,  and  the  state
  education  department,  to the end that there shall be no discrimination
  against blind or handicapped persons  applying  in  the  civil  service,
  unless  the  condition  of  blindness  or  other  handicap be such as to
  prevent the blind or handicapped person from  satisfactorily  performing
  the duties of the position to which he seeks appointment.
    3.  Upon  request  of  an applicant or an eligible for a civil service
  position who has been found to be blind or  otherwise  handicapped,  the
  commission  for  the  visually  handicapped  in  the state department of
  social services, or in the case of an otherwise handicapped person,  the
  state  education  department,  shall obtain from the state civil service
  department or the  appropriate  municipal  civil  service  commission  a
  detailed   description   of  all  duties  of  such  position  and  shall
  investigate the extent of the alleged disability by examination of  such
  applicant  or  otherwise, and shall determine and report its findings to
  the state  civil  service  department  or  appropriate  municipal  civil
  service  commission,  as  to  the  physical ability of such applicant or
  eligible to perform the duties of such position. Such findings shall  be
  given  due  consideration  by  the  state  civil  service  department or
  municipal civil service commission.
    4. Where the  applicant  for  a  civil  service  position  is  not  so
  physically  disabled  by  blindness  or other handicap as to prevent him
  from satisfactorily performing the duties of the position for  which  he
  is  applying,  to insure competitive equality between the blind or other
  handicapped person and persons not so handicapped in connection with the
  taking of written civil service test, the commission  for  the  visually
  handicapped  in  the state department of social services, or in the case
  of an otherwise handicapped person, the state education department,  may
  request from the state civil service department or appropriate municipal
  civil service commission the furnishing of an amanuensis when necessary,
  allowing additional time for such test to insure equality.
    5.  The  provisions  of  this section shall not apply to applicants or
  eligibles  whom  the  state  civil  service  commission  or  appropriate
  municipal  civil  service commission finds to be incapacitated by mental
  illness for performance of the duties of the position sought.