The division shall provide vocational rehabilitation services to persons who have disabilities determined to be eligible therefor and preemployment transition services to persons potentially eligible for such services and, in carrying out the purposes of this part, is authorized, among other things:
(1) To cooperate with other departments, agencies, public and private institutions, and providers in providing for the vocational rehabilitation and preemployment transition services of persons who have disabilities, in studying the problems involved therein, and in establishing, developing, and providing, in conformity with the purposes of this part, such programs, facilities, and services as may be necessary or desirable;(2) To enter into reciprocal agreements with other states to provide for the vocational rehabilitation of residents of the states concerned;(3) To conduct research and compile statistics relating to the vocational rehabilitation of persons who have disabilities;(4) To prepare a federally required state plan for vocational rehabilitation, as required by the act. The state plan must contain all of the elements required by s. 101 of the act, including an assessment of the needs of persons who have disabilities and how those needs may be most effectively met. The division is authorized to make amendments to the state plan considered necessary to maintain compliance with the act and to implement such changes in order to qualify for and maintain federal funding. After completion of the state plan or making amendments to the state plan, the division must distribute copies of the state plan to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the United States Secretary of Education.s. 5, ch. 25364, 1949; s. 13, ch. 65-239; ss. 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 117, ch. 71-355; s. 305, ch. 77-147; s. 112, ch. 79-164; s. 2, ch. 87-227; s.8, ch. 94-324; s.13, ch. 2002-22; s.3, ch. 2020-85.Amended by 2020 Fla. Laws, ch. 85, s 3, eff. 7/1/2020.Former ss. 229.29, 229.0103.