STAND. COM. REP. NO. 570

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1057
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1057 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON
     REHABILITATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to conform existing state law
to the federal Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Department of Human Services (Department), Commission on Persons
with Disabilities, and Workforce Development Council.

     This measure will change the name of the State Advisory
Council on Rehabilitation to State Rehabilitation Council;
increase the number of members on the council from nineteen to
twenty-one; and require one representative of the state
educational agency responsible for the public education of
students with disabilities, one representative of the State
Workforce Development Council, and the administrator of the
Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the Department to the State
Rehabilitation Council.

     This measure additionally will require the council to:

     (1)  Advise the Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the
          Department on the extent, scope, and effectiveness of
          services provided, and performance of state agencies

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 570
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          that affect or potentially affect the ability of
          individuals with disabilities in achieving employment
          outcomes;

     (2)  Develop state goals and priorities;

     (3)  Advise the Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the
          Department regarding authorized activities; 

     (4)  Assist in the preparation of the state plan and
          amendments to the plan, applications, reports, and
          evaluations; and

     (5)  Conduct a review and analysis of the performance of the
          Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the Department,
          vocational rehabilitation services provided by state
          agencies, and employment outcomes achieved by eligible
          individuals receiving services.

     Your Committee is in agreement with the findings of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that this measure reflects
the intent to increase the involvement of the State Advisory
Council on Rehabilitation in improving services and to assure
closer relationships with other government programs that are
required to provide services to persons with disabilities.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1057 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and
                                   Environment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
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