HB 1345 2003
1	CHAMBER ACTION
2
3
4
5
6	The Committee on State Administration recommends the following:
7
8	Committee Substitute
9	Remove the entire bill and insert:
10
11	A bill to be entitled to
12	An act relating to the Florida Council on Deafness;
13	creating the Florida Council on Deafness; providing
14	membership and organization of the council; providing
15	role, purpose, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the
16	council; providing an effective date.
17
18	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20	Section 1. Florida Council on Deafness.--
21	(1)(a) There is established the Florida Council on
22	Deafness. The council is assigned to the Department of Education
23	for administrative and fiscal purposes, but it shall otherwise
24	function independently of the control, supervision, and
25	direction of the Department of Education.
26	(b) The council shall consist of 9 members appointed by
27	the Governor, after consultation with statewide not-for-profit
28	professional organizations that represent deaf, hard-of-hearing,
29	and late-deafened individuals, which members shall be confirmed
30	by the Senate. The Governor shall make appointments to the
31	council no later than July 1, 2003. Each member shall serve a
32	term of 4 years; however, for the purpose of providing staggered
33	terms, of the initial appointments, five members shall be
34	appointed to a 2-year term and four members shall be appointed
35	to a 4-year term. Any vacancy on the council shall be filled in
36	the same manner as the original appointment, and any member
37	appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death,
38	resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only
39	for the unexpired term of the member's predecessor.
40	(c) The first meeting of the council shall be held no
41	later than August 1, 2003. The council members, at the
42	organizational meeting, shall elect by a majority vote of the
43	members one member to serve as chair of the council for a term
44	of 1 year. The council shall meet at least once each quarter.
45	All meetings are subject to the call of the chair. Five members
46	of the council shall constitute a quorum.
47	(d) Members of the council shall serve without
48	compensation but may be reimbursed for per diem and travel
49	expenses pursuant to section 112.061, Florida Statutes.
50	(e) Staff of the Department of Education shall be assigned
51	by the Commissioner of Education to assist the council in the
52	duties assigned to it by this section.
53	(2) It shall be the role of the council to serve as an
54	advisory and coordinating body in the state that recommends
55	policies that address the needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and
56	late-deafened persons and that recommends methods that improve
57	the coordination of services among the public and private
58	entities that provide services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and
59	late-deafened persons. The council is authorized to provide
60	technical assistance, advocacy, and education. To that end, the
61	council shall:
62	(a) Provide information and assistance to the Legislature.
63	(b) Provide technical assistance to other state agencies.
64	(c) Provide information and referral services.
65	(d) Promote public and individual advocacy for deaf, hard-
66	of-hearing, and late-deafened citizens.
67	(e) Conduct public hearings as needed.
68	(3) The council shall prepare a report, which shall be
69	filed with the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
70	Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chief Justice of
71	the Supreme Court by January 1, 2004, which shall include:
72	(a) A review of state agencies to determine if they are in
73	compliance with accessibility standards as they relate to
74	services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened
75	individuals.
76	(b) A review of federal and state statutes, rules, and
77	regulations that establish requirements with which agencies must
78	comply, including, but not limited to, equipment and
79	communication accessibility standards in the provision of
80	services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and late-deafened
81	individuals.
82	(c) A comparison of the licensure and accreditation
83	requirements for sign-language interpreters, oral interpreters,
84	and entities providing services, both directly and indirectly,
85	to individuals with hearing loss among the ten most populous
86	states.
87	(d) Recommendations for standards for and licensure of
88	sign-language interpreters and providers of Computer-Aided Real-
89	time Translation services (CART) and other service provider
90	accreditation standards.
91	(4) The council may:
92	(a) Secure assistance from all state departments and
93	agencies in order to avail itself of expertise at minimal cost.
94	(b) Obtain information and assistance from the state or
95	any political subdivision, municipal corporation, public
96	officer, or governmental department or agency thereof.
97	(c) Apply for and accept funds, grants, gifts, and
98	services from local or state government or the Federal
99	Government, or from any of their agencies, or any other public
100	or private source, and use funds for the purposes authorized by
101	this section.
102	(5) All executive branch state agencies are instructed,
103	and all other state agencies are requested, to aid and assist
104	the council in the accomplishment of its purposes.
105	(6) Nothing in this act is intended to or shall be
106	interpreted as extending the duties or responsibilities of the
107	council to any program, service, or activity which is subject to
108	the jurisdiction or oversight of the Public Service Commission.
109	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
110