Act No. 44

Public Acts of 1998

Approved by the Governor

March 18, 1998

Filed with the Secretary of State

March 18, 1998

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 18, 1998

STATE OF MICHIGAN

89TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 1998

Introduced by Senators Gast, Conroy, Gougeon, North, Bullard, Vaughn, V. Smith, Peters, A. Smith, DeBeaussaert, Young, Stallings, Byrum and Koivisto

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 390

AN ACT to amend 1978 PA 260, entitled "An act to revise and codify the laws relating to blind persons and visually handicapped; to create a commission; to prescribe its powers and duties and those of other state agencies relative to blind persons; to provide services, education, training, and assistance to blind persons; to regulate concessions operated by blind persons; to transfer powers, duties, functions, and appropriations; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts," by amending the title and sections 4 and 6 (MCL 393.354 and 393.356).

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

TITLE

An act to revise and codify the laws relating to blind persons and persons with a visual disability; to create a commission; to prescribe its powers and duties and those of other state agencies relative to blind persons; to provide services, education, training, and assistance to blind persons; to regulate concessions operated by blind persons; to transfer powers, duties, functions, and appropriations; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

Sec. 4. (1) The commission shall maintain a program of services to assist persons with a visual disability to overcome vocational disabilities and to obtain the maximum degree of self-support and self-care. Services provided for under this section may be furnished to clients from other agencies of this or other states for a fee which shall not be less than the actual costs of the services.

(2) The commission shall:

(a) Furnish diagnostic evaluation to determine the nature and scope of services to be provided.

(b) Provide physical restoration to eliminate or minimize the effects of the disability.

(c) Provide for special education or training in the professions, businesses, or trades under a vocational rehabilitation plan. The commission may furnish living maintenance during the period of the education or training within or without the state.

(d) Provide services to blind persons in accordance with the rehabilitation act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, 29 U.S.C. 701 to 707, 709 to 718b, 720 to 750, 753 to 753a, 760 to 762, 765, 770, 771a to 777b, 777d to 777f, 780, 781 to 785, 791 to 794e, 795 to 795r, 796 to 796f-6, 796j to 796l, and 797 to 797b.

(e) Establish, construct, or maintain rehabilitation centers, training centers, or workshops to teach persons with visual disabilities to prepare for and maintain trades or occupations when the training is feasible and will contribute to the efficiency or support of the persons with visual disabilities.

(f) Provide teacher-counselor services and teaching of subjects which will assist persons with visual disabilities in the ease and enjoyment of daily living.

(g) Place persons with visual disabilities in jobs or business enterprises in accordance with the abilities and interests of the applicant.

(h) Teach persons with visual disabilities trades or occupations which may be followed in their homes and to assist them in whatever manner may seem advisable in disposing of the products of their home industries.

(i) Aid individual persons with visual disabilities or groups of persons with visual disabilities to engage in gainful occupations by furnishing materials, equipment, goods, or services to them, by providing financial assistance as necessary to encourage and equip them to reach an objective established with them by the commission.

(j) Provide rehabilitation services for blind persons who are senior citizens so that they may reside within a community.

(k) Provide other rehabilitative goods and services as appropriate to each individual circumstance.

Sec. 6. (1) The commission may employ qualified educational consultants to assist public or private school teachers responsible for teaching students with visual disabilities. Educational consultants shall assist public and private school teachers by providing methods and materials for teaching students with visual disabilities. The superintendent of public instruction shall inform the commission of the schools in which students with visual disabilities are enrolled.

(2) The director or a person designated by the director shall be the liaison between the commission, the schools for the blind, and the superintendent of public instruction, and shall coordinate all programs affecting blind students.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Secretary of the Senate.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Approved

Governor.