REPORT TITLE:
Council


DESCRIPTION:
Changes name of state advisory council on rehabilitation to state
rehabilitation council, increases membership from 19 to 21, and
clarifies duties. (SD1)

 
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                                                        1124
THE SENATE                              H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON REHABILITATION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 348-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended to read as follows:
 
 3      "�348-8  State [advisory] rehabilitation council [on
 
 4 rehabilitation].(a)  There is established within the department
 
 5 [of human services] a state [advisory] rehabilitation council [on
 
 6 rehabilitation].  The council shall consist of [nineteen] twenty-
 
 7 one members appointed by the governor as provided in section
 
 8 26-34 and without regard to section 78-4.  The members shall
 
 9 include:
 
10      (1)  At least one representative of the statewide council on
 
11           independent living;
 
12      (2)  At least one representative of a parent training and
 
13           information center;
 
14      (3)  At least one representative of the client assistance
 
15           program;
 
16      (4)  At least one qualified vocational rehabilitation
 
17           counselor with knowledge of and experience with
 
18           vocational rehabilitation programs, who shall serve as
 
19           an ex officio, nonvoting member if employed by the
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           vocational rehabilitation division of the department;
 
 2      (5)  At least one representative of community rehabilitation
 
 3           program service providers;
 
 4      (6)  [At least four] Four representatives of business,
 
 5           industry, and labor;
 
 6      (7)  Representatives of disability advocacy groups
 
 7           representing a cross section of individuals with
 
 8           physical, cognitive, sensory, and mental disabilities,
 
 9           and parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or
 
10           authorized representatives of individuals with
 
11           disabilities who have difficulty in representing
 
12           themselves or are unable due to their disabilities to
 
13           represent themselves;
 
14      (8)  Current or former applicants for or recipients of
 
15           vocational rehabilitation services; [and
 
16      (9)  The director of human services, who shall be an ex
 
17           officio member;]
 
18      (9)  At least one representative of the state educational
 
19           agency responsible for the public education of students
 
20           with disabilities;
 
21     (10)  At least one representative of the state workforce
 
22           development council; and
 
23     (11)  The administrator of the vocational rehabilitation
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           division of the department, who shall be an ex officio,
 
 2           non-voting member;
 
 3 provided that the council shall include at least one member from
 
 4 each county; and provided further that a majority of the council
 
 5 members shall be persons who have disabilities and are not
 
 6 employed by the [department.] vocational rehabilitation division
 
 7 of the department.  The council members shall elect a chairperson
 
 8 from the membership.  Each member of the council shall serve a
 
 9 three-year term but may not serve more than two consecutive full
 
10 terms.  Any vacancy occurring in the council membership shall be
 
11 filled in the same manner as the original appointment, except
 
12 that the governor may delegate the authority to fill such a
 
13 vacancy to the remaining members of the council after making the
 
14 original appointment.
 
15      (b)  The council members shall serve without compensation
 
16 but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, including travel
 
17 expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.
 
18      (c)  The council [shall], after consulting with the state
 
19 workforce development council, shall advise the vocational
 
20 rehabilitation division of the department on eligibility, order
 
21 of selection, extent, scope, and effectiveness of services
 
22 provided, and performance of [the department in providing
 
23 services, and review] state agencies that affect or that
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 potentially affect the ability of individuals with disabilities
 
 2 in achieving employment outcomes.  The council shall develop,
 
 3 agree to, and review state goals and priorities, advise the
 
 4 vocational rehabilitation division of the department regarding
 
 5 authorized activities, and assist in the preparation of the state
 
 6 plan and amendments to the plan, applications, reports, needs
 
 7 assessment, and evaluations.  The council shall conduct a review
 
 8 and analysis of the effectiveness of, and consumer satisfaction
 
 9 with, the performance [of] by the vocational rehabilitation
 
10 division of the department, vocational rehabilitation services
 
11 provided by state agencies, and other public and private
 
12 entities[.], and employment outcomes achieved by eligible
 
13 individuals receiving services, including the availability of
 
14 health and other employment benefits in connection with
 
15 employment outcomes.  The council shall prepare and submit an
 
16 annual report to the governor on the status of vocational
 
17 rehabilitation programs within the State and make the report
 
18 available to the public.
 
19      (d)  The council shall coordinate with other councils within
 
20 the State including the statewide independent living council, the
 
21 state planning council on developmental disabilities, the state
 
22 council on mental health and substance abuse, [and] the advisory
 
23 panel of individuals with disabilities in education[.], and the
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 state workforce development council.  The council shall establish
 
 2 working relationships between the vocational rehabilitation
 
 3 division of the department and [such] other councils and
 
 4 coordinate other functions as deemed appropriate under federal
 
 5 law.
 
 6      (e)  If there is a disagreement between the council and the
 
 7 vocational rehabilitation division of the department, the
 
 8 disagreement shall be resolved by the governor."
 
 9      SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
10 New statutory material is underscored.
 
11      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999. 
 

 
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