The Florida Senate

413.83  Occupational Access and Opportunity Commission; creation; purpose; membership.--

(1)  There is created within the Department of Education the Occupational Access and Opportunity Commission.

(2)  The commission shall consist of 16 members appointed, as provided herein, by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The commission must contain a minimum of 50 percent representation from the private sector. The members of the commission shall include:

(a)  The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair;

(b)  The chair of the Florida Rehabilitation Council;

(c)  The chair of the Council for Independent Living;

(d)  The chair of the Commission for the Purchase from the Blind or Other Severely Handicapped;

(e)  A community rehabilitation provider who contracts to provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who qualify for the program, who shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of 4 years;

(f)  A representative from the Advocacy Center for Persons With Disabilities, who shall be appointed by the President of the Senate for a term of 4 years;

(g)  A consumer of vocational rehabilitation services, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives for a term of 4 years; and

(h)  Other individuals with disabilities and representatives of business, workforce development, education, state government, local government, consumer advocate groups, employers of individuals with disabilities, or community organizations.

(3)  Initially, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint as members meeting the qualifications contained in paragraph (2)(h), one member for a term of 3 years, one member for a term of 2 years, and one member for a term of 1 year. Thereafter, after receiving recommendations from the commission, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint all members for terms of 4 years. Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the original appointing authority for the unexpired portion of the term by a person who possesses the proper qualifications for the vacancy.

(4)  The private-sector members shall be limited to two consecutive 4-year terms.

(5)  The commission shall hold its first meeting no later than September 1999, and must meet at least quarterly. A majority of the members constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.

(6)  The Governor shall name the chair of the commission from its appointed members. The commission shall biennially elect one of its members as vice chair, who shall preside in the absence of the chair. Neither the chair, nor the vice chair, may be a provider of client services funded through the commission.

(7)  The Rehabilitation Council created by s. 413.405 shall serve the commission and shall continue to perform its designated duties. The commission shall consider the recommendations made by the council.

(8)  The commission may appoint advisory committees that the commission considers appropriate, which may include members from outside the commission to study special problems or issues and advise the commission on those subjects. Any existing advisory board, commission, or council may seek to become an official advisory committee to the commission by submitting to the commission a resolution requesting affiliation and having the request approved by the commission. The commission shall establish the operating procedures of the committees.

(9)  The commission may establish an executive committee consisting of five members recommended by the chair and approved by the commission.

(10)  The members of the commission are entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses of attending meetings and performing commission duties, including per diem and travel expenses, and for personal care attendants and interpreters needed by members during meetings, as provided in s. 413.273.

(11)  Each member of the commission shall file full and public disclosure of his or her financial interests and is subject to the provisions of part III of chapter 112.

(12)  A member of the commission may not vote on a matter under consideration by the board regarding the provision of services by such member, or by any entity that such member represents; vote on a matter that would provide direct financial benefit to such member or the immediate family of such member; or engage in any other activity determined by the Governor to constitute a conflict of interest as specified in the plan.

History.--s. 27, ch. 99-240.