Governor's council on disability

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 1689

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Reported from the Committee on Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections, April 14, 2008, with recommendation that the Senate Committee Substitute do pass and be placed on the Consent Calendar.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

4274S.02C

AN ACT

To repeal sections 286.200, 286.205, and 286.210, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof four new sections relating to the office of administration.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Sections 286.200, 286.205, and 286.210, RSMo, are repealed and four new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 8.016, 26.700, 26.705, and 26.710, to read as follows:

8.016. The commissioner of the office of administration shall provide each member of the senate and each member of the house with a key that accesses the dome of the state capitol.

[286.200.] 26.700. 1. The "Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities" will hereafter be known as the "Governor's Council on Disability" and is hereby assigned to the [department of labor and industrial relations] office of administration.

2. The council shall consist of a chairperson, twenty members and an executive director.

3. The chairperson shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The members of the council shall be appointed by the governor. Recruitment and appointment of members to the council shall provide for representation of various ethnic, age, gender and physical and mental disability groups.

4. (1) The nine members of the governor's committee on the employment of people with disabilities whose terms of office expire in October of 1995 and the four members of the governor's committee on the employment of people with disabilities whose terms of office expire in October of 1997 shall be deemed members of the council on disability. Of the ten members of the committee on the employment of people with disabilities whose terms of office expired in October of 1993 and any vacancies on the committee on the employment of people with disabilities, only seven shall be appointed to the council;

(2) The terms of office for the chairperson and the seven council members first appointed after August 28, 1994, shall be as follows:

(a) The term of office for one of the initial new council members shall expire in October of 1995;

(b) The terms of office for the chairperson and the other six initial council members shall expire in October of 1997, so that one-half of the members of the council may be chosen every second year.

5. The funds necessary for the executive director and such other personnel as necessary shall be appropriated through the [department of labor and industrial relations] office of administration. The executive director shall serve under the supervision of the committee chairman. The executive director shall be exempted from the state merit system.

6. All successor members shall be appointed for four-year terms. Vacancies occurring in the membership of the council for any reason shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired term. Upon expiration of their terms, members of the council shall continue to hold office until the appointment and qualification of their successors. No person shall be appointed for more than two consecutive terms, except that a person appointed to fill a vacancy may serve for two additional successive terms. The governor may remove a member for cause.

7. Members of the council shall be chosen to meet the following criteria:

(1) The majority of the council shall be comprised of people with disabilities, representing the various disability groups. The remaining positions shall be filled by family members of people with disabilities, persons who represent other disability-related groups, and other advocates. A person considered to have a disability shall meet the federal definition of disability as defined by P.L. 101-336;

(2) The council shall include at least one member from each congressional district;

(3) Members of the council shall be knowledgeable about disability-related issues and have demonstrated a commitment to full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.

8. The chairperson of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of the duties as chairperson of the council on disability. The members of the council shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending all meetings provided for by sections [286.200 to 286.210] 26.700 to 26.710.

9. The council shall meet at least once each calendar quarter to conduct its business. The executive director shall give written notice by mail to each member of the time and place of each meeting of the council at least ten days before the scheduled date of the meetings, and notice of any special meetings shall state the specific matters to be considered in the special meeting which is not a regular quarterly meeting.

10. The chairperson, with the advice and consent of the council, shall appoint an executive director who shall serve as a nonvoting member and executive officer of the council. The executive director shall serve under the supervision of the chairperson of the council. The executive director shall be a person who is knowledgeable about disability-related issues and has demonstrated a commitment to full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.

11. All information, documents, records and contracts of the committee on employment of people with disabilities shall become those of the council on disability.

12. The director of each state department shall designate at least one employee who shall act as a liaison with the council.

[286.205.] 26.705. The governor's council on disability shall:

(1) Act in an advisory capacity to all state agencies and have direct input to all divisions of the office of administration on policies and practices which impact people with disabilities. Input shall include policies and practices affecting personnel, purchasing, design and construction of new facilities, facilities management, budget and planning and general services. In the administration of its duties, the governor's council on disability in cooperation with the office of administration shall offer technical assistance to help all departments, divisions and branches of state government comply with applicable state and federal law regarding persons with disabilities;

(2) Work and cooperate with other state commissions, councils or committees pertaining to disabilities and other national, state and local entities to create public policies and encourage system changes which eliminate barriers to people with disabilities;

(3) Advocate for public policies and practices which:

(a) Promote employment of people with disabilities;

(b) Expand opportunities in all aspects of life; and

(4) Gather input from disability-related organizations and the public on disability-related issues and report the results of this information in council reports to the governor;

(5) Accept grants, private gifts, and bequests, to be used to achieve the purposes of sections [286.200 to 286.210] 26.700 to 26.710;

(6) Promulgate those bylaws necessary for the efficient operation of the council;

(7) Prepare an annual report to be presented to the governor not later than January first of each year.

[286.210.] 26.710. The governor's council on disability may receive funds and property by gift, devise, bequest or otherwise and may solicit funds to be used in carrying out the purposes of sections [286.200 to 286.210] 26.700 to 26.710.

•