HB 0227 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Florida Council on Deafness;
3	creating the Florida Council on Deafness; providing for
4	the appointment of members and the organization of the
5	council; requiring the staff of the Department of
6	Education to assist the council in its duties; providing
7	the role, purpose, powers, duties, and responsibilities of
8	the council; providing an effective date.
9
10	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12	Section 1. Florida Council on Deafness.--
13	(1)(a) There is established the Florida Council on
14	Deafness. The council is assigned to the Department of Education
15	for administrative and fiscal purposes, but it shall otherwise
16	function independently of the control, supervision, and
17	direction of the Department of Education.
18	(b) The council shall consist of nine members appointed by
19	the Governor after consultation with statewide not-for-profit
20	professional organizations that represent deaf, hard-of-hearing,
21	and late-deafened individuals. The members of the council must
22	be confirmed by the Senate. The Governor shall make appointments
23	to the council no later than July 1, 2004. Each member shall be
24	appointed to a term of 4 years; however, for the purpose of
25	providing staggered terms, of the initial appointments, five
26	members shall be appointed to a 2-year term and four members
27	shall be appointed to a 4-year term. Any vacancy on the council
28	shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment,
29	and any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of
30	death, resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve
31	only for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor.
32	(c) The first meeting of the council shall be held no
33	later than August 1, 2004. The council members, at the
34	organizational meeting, shall elect by a majority vote of the
35	members one member to serve as chair of the council for a term
36	of 1 year. The council shall meet at least once each quarter.
37	All meetings are subject to the call of the chair. Five members
38	of the council shall constitute a quorum.
39	(d) Members of the council shall serve without
40	compensation but may be reimbursed for per diem and travel
41	expenses pursuant to section 112.061, Florida Statutes.
42	(e) Staff of the Department of Education shall be assigned
43	by the Commissioner of Education to assist the council in the
44	duties assigned to it by this section.
45	(2) It is the role of the council to serve as an advisory
46	and coordinating body in the state which recommends policies
47	that address the needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-
48	deafened individuals and which recommends methods that improve
49	the coordination of services among the public and private
50	entities that provide services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and
51	late-deafened individuals. The council is authorized to provide
52	technical assistance, advocacy, and education. To that end, the
53	council shall:
54	(a) Provide information and assistance to the Legislature;
55	(b) Provide technical assistance to other state agencies;
56	(c) Provide information and referral services;
57	(d) Promote public and individual advocacy for deaf, hard-
58	of-hearing, and late-deafened citizens; and
59	(e) Conduct public hearings as needed.
60	(3) The council shall prepare a report, which shall be
61	filed with the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
62	Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice
63	of the Supreme Court by January 1, 2005, which must include:
64	(a) A review of state agencies to determine if they are in
65	compliance with accessibility standards as they relate to
66	services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened
67	individuals.
68	(b) A review of federal and state statutes, rules, and
69	regulations that establish requirements that agencies must
70	comply with, including, but not limited to, equipment and
71	communication accessibility standards in the provision of
72	services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened
73	individuals.
74	(c) A comparison of the licensure and accreditation
75	requirements for sign-language interpreters, oral interpreters,
76	and entities providing services, both directly and indirectly,
77	to individuals with hearing loss among the 10 most populous
78	states.
79	(d) Recommendations for standards for and licensure of
80	sign-language interpreters and providers of Computer-Aided Real-
81	time Translation (CART) services and other accreditation
82	standards for service providers.
83	(4) The council may:
84	(a) Secure assistance from all state departments and
85	agencies in order to avail itself of expertise at minimal cost.
86	(b) Obtain information and assistance from the state or
87	any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
88	officer, or governmental department or agency thereof.
89	(c) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and
90	services from local or state government or the Federal
91	Government, or from any of their agencies, or any other public
92	or private source and may use funds for the purposes authorized
93	by this section.
94	(5) All executive branch state agencies are instructed,
95	and all other state agencies are requested, to assist the
96	council in accomplishing its purposes.
97	(6) This act does not extend the duties or
98	responsibilities of the council to any program, service, or
99	activity that is subject to the jurisdiction or oversight of the
100	Florida Public Service Commission.
101	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.