Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
Section 5.145 - Council administration and support services(a) Members of the Council and its committees shall serve without salary but shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending Council meetings and performing Council duties, including child care and personal assistance services.(b) The Council shall, consistent with State law, recruit and hire a Director of the Council, should the position of Director become vacant, and shall supervise and evaluate annually the Director.(c) The Director shall hire, supervise and evaluate annually the staff of the Council. Council recruitment and hiring of staff shall be consistent with Federal and State nondiscrimination laws. Dismissal of personnel shall be consistent with State law and personnel policies. The staff and other personnel, while working for the Council, shall be responsible solely for assisting the Council in carrying out its duties and may not be assigned duties by the designated State agency or any other agency or office of the Commonwealth.(d) The Council is not subject to Commonwealth policies on hiring freezes, reductions in force, prohibitions on staff travel or other policies, to the extent that these policies would impact staff or functions funded with Federal funds and would prevent the Council from carrying out its functions.(e) Until the provisions of subsection (f) are implemented, the responsibilities of the designated State agency shall temporarily be continued by the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare and staff to the Council shall be assigned to the Department of Public Welfare for complement and administrative purposes.(f) The Council shall conduct a review of the designation of the Department of Public Welfare (Department) as the designated State agency and submit its recommendations to the Governor to assure compliance with Pub. L. No. 103-230. During this review and until its completion, the Department shall ensure the provision of adequate staff which shall participate with the Council in preparation of the Developmental Disabilities State Plan. Furthermore, the Department shall provide assurances and support services, as requested by and negotiated with the Council, in support of its duties and functions.(g) The five principal departments which may be involved in the implementation of the Developmental Disabilities State Plan, Health, Aging, Education, Public Welfare and Labor and Industry, shall designate specific personnel to work with the Council and the administrative unit to ensure their ability to perform mandated functions.(h) The Council shall adopt rules of procedure consistent with this subchapter, Pub. L. No. 103-230, regulations and guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, and applicable Commonwealth laws, regulations and procedures.