The Florida Senate

413.011  Division of Blind Services, internal organizational structure; Advisory Council for the Blind.--

(1)  The internal organizational structure of the Division of Blind Services shall be designed for the purpose of insuring the greatest possible efficiency and effectiveness of services to the blind and to be consistent with chapter 20. The Division of Blind Services shall plan, supervise, and carry out the following activities:

(a)  Recommend personnel as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(b)  Cause to be compiled and maintained a complete register of the blind in the state, which shall describe the condition, cause of blindness, and capacity for education and industrial training, with such other facts as may seem to the division to be of value. Any information in the register of the blind which, when released, could identify an individual is confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1).

(c)  Inquire into the cause of blindness, inaugurate preventive measures, and provide for the examination and treatment of the blind, or those threatened with blindness, for the benefit of such persons, and shall pay therefor, including necessary incidental expenses.

(d)  Aid the blind in finding employment, teach them trades and occupations within their capacities, assist them in disposing of products made by them in home industries, assist them in obtaining funds for establishing enterprises where federal funds reimburse the state, and do such things as will contribute to the efficiency of self-support of the blind.

(e)  Establish one or more training schools and workshops for the employment of suitable blind persons; make expenditures of funds for such purposes; receive moneys from sales of commodities involved in such activities and from such funds make payments of wages, repairs, insurance premiums and replacements of equipment. All of the activities provided for in this section may be carried on in cooperation with private workshops for the blind, except that all tools and equipment furnished by the division shall remain the property of the state.

(f)  Provide special services and benefits for the blind for developing their social life through community activities and recreational facilities.

(g)  Undertake such other activities as may ameliorate the condition of blind citizens of this state.

(h)  Cooperate with other agencies, public or private, especially the Division of the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress and the Division of Library and Information Services of the Department of State, to provide library service to the blind and other handicapped persons as defined in federal law and regulations in carrying out any or all of the provisions of this law.

(i)  Recommend contracts and agreements with federal, state, county, municipal and private corporations, and individuals.

(j)  Receive moneys or properties by gift or bequest from any person, firm, corporation, or organization for any of the purposes herein set out, but without authority to bind the state to any expenditure or policy except such as may be specifically authorized by law. All such moneys or properties so received by gift or bequest as herein authorized may be disbursed and expended by the division upon its own warrant for any of the purposes herein set forth, and such moneys or properties shall not constitute or be considered a part of any legislative appropriation made by the state for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this law.

(k)  Prepare and make available to the blind, in braille and on electronic recording equipment, Florida Statutes chapters 20, 120, 121, and 413, in their entirety.

(2)  There is hereby created in the Department of Labor and Employment Security the Advisory Council for the Blind. The council shall be advisory to the director of the Division of Blind Services, and the division shall provide necessary staff assistance to the council. The council shall consist of nine members appointed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment Security. At least three members shall be blind persons. Appointment shall be for terms of 4 years. No person or persons in the employ of the state shall be eligible for membership on the council. Each member of the council shall have been a citizen and elector of this state for not less than 5 years immediately preceding the date of his or her appointment. Council members may be replaced because of poor attendance or lack of participation in the work of the council. A vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as an initial appointment. The members shall elect from among the membership a chairperson and a vice chairperson who shall each serve for a term of 1 year. No member shall be elected to consecutive terms as chairperson. Members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. The council shall meet at the call of its chairperson, at the request of a majority of its membership, at the request of the division, or at such times as may be prescribed by its rules.

History.--s. 1, ch. 20714, 1941; s. 1, ch. 21779, 1943; ss. 20, 34, ch. 26937, 1951; s. 1, ch. 61-210; s. 19, ch. 63-400; s. 1, ch. 67-463; ss. 10, 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 116, ch. 71-355; s. 157, ch. 71-377; s. 2, ch. 77-259; s. 4, ch. 78-323; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 81-58; ss. 1, 4, ch. 82-46; s. 2, ch. 83-265; s. 66, ch. 86-163; s. 2, ch. 88-303; s. 1, ch. 91-12; s. 10, ch. 91-49; ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 91-52; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 8, ch. 95-327; s. 263, ch. 96-406; s. 1028, ch. 97-103.

Note.--Former s. 409.26.