SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2010 SESSION
10102038DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 51.5-47 and 51.5-51 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 51.5-47. Local disability services boards; appointment; membership and staff.
A. Every county and city shall may establish,
either singly or in combination with another political subdivision, a local
disability services board by November 1, 1992, to provide input to state
agencies on service needs and priorities of persons with physical and sensory
disabilities, to provide information and resource referral to local governments
regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.),
and to provide such other assistance and advice to local governments as may be
requested. Guidelines for the establishment of local disability services
boards shall be developed by the Disability Services Council. As used in this
chapter, the term "board" means a local disability services board.
The local disability services board shall be responsible to the
governing body or bodies of the county or city or combination thereof which
established the local disability services board.
B. Local disability services boards may:
1. Assess the local service needs and advise the appropriate state and local agencies serving persons with physical and sensory disabilities of their findings;
2. Develop and make available for public comment a report
with a six-year projection of local service needs and priorities for persons
with physical and sensory disabilities [ in accordance with state
guidelines ] ;
3. Obtain input from local public and private service providers and utilize such information in the development of the report;
4. Review and update the report every three years;
5. Serve as a catalyst for the development of public and private funding sources; and
6. Exchange information with other local disability services boards regarding services to persons with physical and sensory disabilities and best practices in the delivery of services.
C. The local governing bodies of the jurisdictions
participating in the local disability services board shall determine the
number of members on the local disability services board and appoint the
members. The membership of a local disability services board shall not
exceed fifteen 15. Membership shall include at least one local
official from each of the participating jurisdictions, two representatives of
the business community, and consumers. Each local disability services board
shall have no less than thirty 30 percent representation by individuals
or family members of individuals with physical, visual, or hearing
disabilities.
C D. Where a local board or commission for the
physically and sensory disabled appointed by a local governing body is already
in existence, the local governing body may designate such board or commission
as the local disability services board. In order to be designated as the local
disability services board, the existing board or commission shall meet the
membership representation requirements designated in subsection B C.
D. The Department of Rehabilitative Services shall
administer the funds appropriated for local disability services boards,
including staff support to the boards and, with appropriate consultation from
the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired and the Department for the
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and other agencies, provide guidance and technical
assistance to the local boards. Localities may provide additional staff support
to the boards.
E. Localities shall not be mandated to fund any recommendations made by the local disability services board.
§ 51.5-51. Local rehabilitative services incentive fund; establishment and administration.
Local disability services boards may establish a local rehabilitative services incentive fund and may make expenditures from such fund to meet programmatic and individual recipient needs not otherwise met through existing federal, state, or local programs and to develop community programs to meet the needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities. When such a fund is established, the local governing bodies of the jurisdictions participating in the local disability services board shall designate the fiscal agent for the administration of the fund. The availability of this local fund shall not be taken into consideration in, nor used to reduce, state or local appropriations or payments.
2. That §§ 51.5-48, 51.5-49, and 51.5-50 of the Code of Virginia are repealed.