[NFB_of_Georgia] Information from Georgia Alliance 1 of 2 Emails

[Dorothy Griffin]

From: Betsy Grenevitch <blindangel61 at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Feb 25, 2020 at 9:08 AM
Subject: HB963 Commission for the Blind Bill
To: undisclosedrecipients <blindangel61 at gmail.com>


The  Bill.

20 LC 33 8273

H. B. 963

- 1 -

House Bill 963

By: Representatives Gilliard of the 162nd and Bruce of the 61st

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

1 To amend Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
handicapped

2 persons, so as to create the Commission for the Blind and Visually
Impaired; to provide for

3 a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for the purpose of
the commission and the

4 policy of this state; to provide for the composition and appointment of
commission members;

5 to provide for an executive director; to provide for duties and powers;
to provide for an

6 annual report; to require the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency to
consult with the

7 commission; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective
date; to repeal

8 conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

10 SECTION 1.

11 Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
handicapped persons, is

12 amended by adding a new chapter to read as follows:

13 "CHAPTER 11

14 30-11-1.

15 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the 'Commission for the
Blind and

16 Visually Impaired Act.'

17 30-11-2.

18 As used in this chapter, the term:

19 (1) 'Blind or visually impaired' means a person:

20 (A) Having a central visual acuity of 20/200 in the better eye with the
best corrective

21 lens, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less; or

22 (B) With a severe visual disability resulting in legal blindness
verified by an eye

23 examination.20 LC 33 8273

H. B. 963

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24 (2) 'Commission' means the Commission for the Blind and the Visually
Impaired.

25 30-11-3.

26 (a) The purpose for the establishment of the commission is to serve as
the principal entity

27 of the state to advocate on behalf of people who are blind or visually
impaired so that they

28 have access from cradle to grave to quality services throughout the
State of Georgia for

29 purposes of attaining independent living skills, maximizing successful
career opportunities,

30 increasing independence and self-sufficiency, promoting the upward
mobility of the

31 consumer as a viable member of the community, and addressing other needs
necessary to

32 achieve the most positive outcome for the consumer.

33 (b) It is the policy of this state that all programs, projects, and
activities of the state with

34 respect to programs and services for blind or visually impaired persons
shall be carried out

35 in a manner consistent with the following principles:

36 (1) Respect for individual dignity, personal responsibility,
self-determination, and pursuit

37 of meaningful careers, based on informed choice;

38 (2) Support for the involvement of an individual's representative if an
individual

39 requests, desires, or needs such support;

40 (3) Respect for the individual's privacy and equal access, including the
use of

41 information in accessible formats; and

42 (4) Integration and full participation of individuals who are blind or
visually impaired

43 in society on equal terms with others.

44 30-11-4.

45 (a) The Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired is hereby
created. The

46 commission shall consist of a chairperson and five members. The Governor
shall appoint

47 two members, the Speaker of the House shall appoint two members, and the
President of

48 the Senate shall appoint two members. The chairperson and members shall
be qualified

49 to serve based on knowledge and experience in rehabilitation and related
services for the

50 blind or visually impaired. A majority of the members shall be blind or
visually impaired.

51 No member of the commission shall be employed by the commission during
the term of

52 such membership.

53 (b) The Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the President of the
Senate shall consult

54 with consumer groups representing blind or visually impaired persons in
this state to obtain

55 their recommendations of individuals to be appointed.

56 (c) The appointment of each member shall be for a term of three years,
except for the

57 terms of the initially appointed members. One member appointed by each
officer shall

58 serve for terms of two years and the chairperson and the other initial
appointments shall20 LC 33 8273

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59 serve for terms of one year. Thereafter, all members shall be appointed
for terms of three

60 years.

61 (d) The commission shall meet quarterly and at such other times as it
shall determine. The

62 chairperson of the commission shall be elected by the members present
and voting at the

63 first meeting of the commission and annually thereafter. Commissioners
shall receive no

64 salary, but shall be allowed the usual mileage, subsistence, and per
diem as authorized by

65 law. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a
quorum to transact

66 business.

67 30-11-5.

68 (a) The commission shall appoint an executive director with knowledge
and experience

69 in rehabilitation and related services for the blind or visually
impaired. The executive

70 director shall serve as secretary to the commission and shall be the
chief administrative

71 officer of the commission. The executive director's appointment shall be
for an indefinite

72 period but may be terminated for cause as determined by a majority of
the commission.

73 Preference shall be given to employing an individual who is blind or
visually impaired and

74 meets the qualifications specified by the commission.

75 (b) The executive director shall employ such personnel as are needed and
shall fix their

76 compensation in a manner consistent with state law.

77 30-11-6.

78 (a) The commission shall:

79 (1) Assist blind and visually impaired persons and parents of such
persons who are

80 students in advocating for equal access to services, programs, and
opportunities;

81 (2) Advise the Governor, General Assembly, commissioner of human
services, and

82 commissioner of community health on the development of policies,
programs, and

83 services affecting blind and visually impaired persons and on the use of
appropriate

84 federal and state moneys for such purposes;

85 (3) Create a public awareness of the special needs and potential of
blind and visually

86 impaired persons;

87 (4) Provide the Governor, General Assembly, commissioner of human
services, and

88 commissioner of community health with a review of ongoing services,
programs, and

89 proposed legislation affecting blind and visually impaired persons;

90 (5) Advise the Governor, General Assembly, commissioner of human
services, and

91 commissioner of community health on statutes, rules, and policies
necessary to ensure

92 that blind and visually impaired persons have equal access to benefits
and services

93 provided to individuals in this state;20 LC 33 8273

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94 (6) Recommend to the Governor, General Assembly, commissioner of human
services,

95 and commissioner of community health legislation designed to improve the
economic and

96 social conditions of blind and visually impaired persons in this state;

97 (7) Propose solutions to problems of blind and visually impaired persons
in the areas of

98 education, employment, human rights, human services, health, housing,
and other related

99 programs;

100 (8) Work with other state and federal agencies and private
organizations to promote

101 economic development for blind and visually impaired persons; and

102 (9) Coordinate its efforts with other state and local agencies serving
blind and visually

103 impaired persons.

104 (b) The commission may:

105 (1) Participate, through the designation of the executive director or
an appropriate staff

106 member of the commission, on boards, commissions, or bodies which may
exist or be

107 established within this state for the purpose of coordination and
planning of services;

108 (2) Conduct a review of consumer satisfaction with state programs
relating to services

109 for blind or visually impaired persons; and

110 (3) Apply for and receive money from any state or a federal agency to
support programs

111 relating to services for blind or visually impaired persons and receive
on behalf of the

112 state any gifts, donations, or bequests from any source to be used in
supporting programs

113 and services for blind or visually impaired persons.

114 (c) The commission may carry out any of the powers and duties
enumerated in this Code

115 section by contract or cooperative agreement or by the direct
administration of any

116 program.

117 30-11-7.

118 The commission shall advise the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation
Agency and any other

119 appropriate state entity on the:

120 (1) Development and implementation of the state plan for vocational
rehabilitation

121 services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired pursuant to
Section 101 of the

122 federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;

123 (2) Provision of independent living services for blind or visually
impaired individuals,

124 including services for older individuals who are blind or visually
impaired, pursuant to

125 Title VII of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;

126 (3) Contracting with private agencies to provide services for the blind
or visually

127 impaired for prevocational and other training such as, but not limited
to, instruction in

128 Braille, orientation and mobility for independent travel, homemaking
and home

129 management skills, and communications skills, including the use of
computer technology,20 LC 33 8273

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130 to prepare blind and visually impaired persons for eventual vocational
training, job

131 placement, higher education, home usage such as reading of mail and
letter writing, and

132 independence;

133 (4) Establishment and implementation of a business enterprises program
pursuant to the

134 federal Randolph-Sheppard Act;

135 (5) Establishment and administration of the Industries for the Blind
Program;

136 (6) Establishment and administration of a state-wide program to certify
individuals who

137 are qualified to teach Braille to blind or visually impaired
individuals, including

138 individuals attending elementary and secondary schools, using
performance criteria based

139 on the National Literary Braille competency examination administered by
the Library of

140 Congress;

141 (7) Purchase and distribution of specialized equipment, devices, and
technology,

142 including low-vision aids, obtained directly from specialty vendors
without state

143 centralized purchasing procedures;

144 (8) Provision of library services to persons who are blind or visually
impaired and

145 persons with physical disabilities in cooperation with the Library of
Congress;

146 (9) Creation and maintenance of an instructional media center for the
production,

147 purchase, distribution, reallocation, and warehousing of accessible
materials for blind or

148 visually impaired children and adults;

149 (10) Provision of technical assistance in cooperation with other
appropriate agencies to

150 assist the Department of Education and local boards of education in the
provision of

151 auxiliary aids and services to blind or visually impaired students and
their parents by

152 complying with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended,
and the federal

153 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended; and

154 (11) Provision of technical assistance to agencies within this state in
order to ensure that

155 information technology purchased or used by such agencies is accessible
to and useable

156 by individuals who are blind or visually impaired at the time the
technology is purchased

157 or used.

158 30-11-8.

159 The commission shall publish an annual report to evaluate the success
of state programs

160 and services in meeting the needs of blind or visually impaired
individuals in this state.

161 30-11-9.

162 The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency shall consult with the
commission on any

163 programs or services relating to blind or visually impaired persons
that are established,

164 revised, or discontinued prior to taking any such action. This shall
include, but not be20 LC 33 8273

H. B. 963

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165 limited to, licensing of blind persons or other persons with
disabilities to operate vending

166 facilities pursuant to paragraph (4) of Code Section 49-9-5 and the
delivery of deaf-blind

167 services and techniques pursuant to Code Section 49-9-21."

168 SECTION 2.

169 This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2020.

170 SECTION 3.

171 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.


-- 
Betsy Grenevitch
678-862-3876

-- 
Dorothy Griffin - President
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia
dgriffin at nfbga.org
770-374-4832

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.