KRS 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.