Section 151B.245 - Statewide Council for Vocational Rehabilitation - Membership - Meetings(1) The Statewide Council for Vocational Rehabilitation is hereby created within the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to accomplish the purposes and functions enumerated in 29 U.S.C. secs. 701 et seq. Members of the council shall be appointed by the Governor pursuant to the guidelines in this section. When appointing members of the council, the Governor shall consider, to the greatest extent practicable, the extent to which minority populations are represented on the council.(2) The Statewide Council for Vocational Rehabilitation shall consist of the following members which shall serve for the following staggered initial terms but their successors shall serve for a term of three (3) years: (a) One (1) representative of the Statewide Independent Living Council, who shall be the chair or other designee of the Statewide Independent Living Council and who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years;(b) One (1) representative of a parent training and information center established pursuant to Section 682(a) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year;(c) One (1) representative of the Client Assistance Program established under 34 C.F.R. pt. 370, who shall be designated by the employee of the Education and Labor Cabinet responsible for overseeing the Client Assistance Program and who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year;(d) One (1) representative of community rehabilitation program service providers who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years;(e) Four (4) representatives of business, industry, and labor who shall each serve an initial term of three (3) years;(f) One (1) representative of a disability group that includes individuals with physical, cognitive, sensory, and mental disabilities who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years;(g) One (1) representative of a disability group that includes individuals with disabilities who have difficulty representing themselves or are unable due to their disabilities to represent themselves who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years;(h) One (1) current or former applicant for or recipient of vocational rehabilitation services who shall serve for an initial term of one (1) year;(i) One (1) representative of the state educational agency responsible for the public education of students with disabilities who are eligible to receive services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act who shall serve for an initial term of one (1) year;(j) One (1) representative of the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year;(k) One (1) representative from the Kentucky Council for the Blind who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years;(l) One (1) representative from the National Federation for the Blind from Kentucky who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years;(m) One (1) representative from the Bluegrass Council of the Blind who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years;(n) One (1) representative from the State Committee of Blind Vendors who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year;(o) One (1) qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor with knowledge of and experience with vocational rehabilitation programs who serves as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the council if employed by the designated state agency and who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years; and(p) The executive director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the council.(3) The members of the council shall not be compensated for their service on the council. Council members shall be reimbursed for their necessary expenses pursuant to KRS 12.029.(4) Including the initial appointment, and with the exception of the individuals set out in paragraphs (c) and (p) of subsection (2) of this section, members shall serve no more than two (2) successive terms. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the end of the term for which the predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of the predecessor's term.(5) A chair shall be selected by the members of the council from among the voting members of the council, subject to the veto power of the Governor.(6) No member of the council shall cast a vote on any matter that would provide direct financial benefit to the member or the member's organization or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under state law.(7) A majority of the members of the council shall be individuals with disabilities who meet the requirements of 34 C.F.R. sec. 361.5(c)(28) and who are not employed by the designated state unit.(8) The council shall convene at least four (4) meetings a year in locations determined by the council to be necessary to conduct council business. The meetings shall be publicly announced, open, and accessible to the general public, including individuals with disabilities, unless there is a valid reason for an executive session under the Open Meetings Act, KRS 61.805 to 61.850.Amended by 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 236,§ 33, eff. 7/1/2022.Amended by 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 146,§ 13, eff. 6/26/2019.Effective:7/12/2006
Amended 2006, Ky. Acts ch. 211, sec. 51, effective7/12/2006. -- Amended 2000, Ky. Acts ch. 211, sec. 2, effective 7/14/2000. -- Created 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 469, sec. 4, effective 7/15/1994.