Notice of public meetings: Reauth. of Rehab Act [OSERS]
[Federal Register: July 5, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 130)]
[Notices]
[Page 35195-35197]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary announces a series of public meetings
to solicit comments from the public regarding needed improvements in
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), to
assist in the development of reauthorization legislation.
DATES: Meetings will be held in Oakland, California, on July 8, 1996,
in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 1996, in Boston, Massachusetts, on
July 23, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 17, 1996, in Chicago,
Illinois, on September 19, 1996, and in Bellevue, Washington, on
October 29, 1996.
In addition, written comments will be accepted and must be received
on or before October 29, 1996.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the following locations:
[[Page 35196]]
1. Oakland, California--Marriott City Center, Jewett Ballroom A &
B, 1001 Broadway, Oakland, California.
2. Washington, D.C.--Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, 1st Floor
Auditorium, 300 C Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
3. Boston, Massachusetts--Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. Federal Building,
1st Floor Auditorium, 10 Causeway Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
4. Atlanta, Georgia--Shepherd Center, Callaway Auditorium, Marcus
Building, 2020 Peachtree Road, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia.
5. Chicago, Illinois--O'Hare Marriott Hotel, 8535 W. Higgens Road,
Chicago, Illinois.
6. Bellevue, Washington--Red Lion Inn, 300 112th Street, S.E.,
Bellevue, Washington.
Individuals who cannot attend the meeting are invited to send in
written comments. Written comments should be addressed to Fredric K.
Schroeder, U. S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue,
S.W., Room 3028, Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2531.
Comments transmitted by facsimile should be sent to (202) 205-9772 or
(202) 260-7527. Comments can be transmitted in an electronic format
either through the electronic bulletin board system (BBS) of the
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) or through internet. The
internet address is ``Rehab__Reauth@ed.gov''. The access number for the
RSA BBS is (202) 205-5574 for low speed (2400 BPS or lower) modems and
(202) 401-6174 for high speed (9600 BPS and higher) modems. Comments
can also be transmitted to the RSA BBS through Fedworld via internet
using the telnet command. Telnet to: ``Fedworld.gov''. All comments
transmitted in an electronic format should be sent to the following RSA
BBS mailbox: ``RSADPPES''. To facilitate the analysis of comments,
electronic transmission of comments is preferred.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Persons desiring to participate in the
meetings or seeking additional information should contact Beverlee
Stafford, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Room 3014, Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2550.
Telephone (202) 205-8831. Individuals who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call (202) 205-5538.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Need for Reauthorization
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Act) was reauthorized in 1992. The
current Act expires on September 30, 1997. The need for another
reauthorization in 1997 provides an opportunity to review and revise
the Act to strengthen Federal efforts to assist individuals with
disabilities and to support the National Education Goal that, by the
year 2000, every adult American will possess the knowledge and skills
necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship.
Description of the Act
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, contains eight titles.
Section 2 of the Act specifies that the purposes of the Act are: (1) To
empower individuals with disabilities to maximize employment, economic
self-sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and integration into
society through comprehensive and coordinated state-of-the art programs
of vocational rehabilitation, independent living centers and services,
research, training, demonstration projects, and the guarantee of equal
opportunity; and (2) to ensure that the Federal Government plays a
leadership role in promoting the employment of individuals with
disabilities, especially individuals with severe disabilities, and in
assisting States and providers of services in fulfilling the
aspirations of individuals with disabilities for meaningful and gainful
employment and independent living.
Title I of the Act establishes The State Vocational Rehabilitation
Services Program that supports the Federal-State partnership in
providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with
disabilities with the goal of gainful employment. The Act requires
that, in the event services cannot be provided to all eligible
individuals with disabilities who apply, States shall give priority to
individuals with the most severe disabilities. Each State is required
to define who is an ``individual with the most severe disabilities''
for services in that State. Each State vocational rehabilitation agency
that is not a consumer-controlled independent commission primarily
concerned with rehabilitation is also required to establish a State
Rehabilitation Advisory Council to provide advice and guidance to the
State agency to ensure that individuals with disabilities and other
stakeholders have input in the agency's policies and practices. This
title also includes the authorization for the State Client Assistance
Program and the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Program.
Title II of the Act establishes the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and authorizes research
and related activities. NIDRR administers a program of rehabilitation
research, including research and training centers, rehabilitation
engineering research centers, research and demonstration projects,
field-initiated research projects, utilization and dissemination
projects, innovative research grants, and career development grants.
Title III authorizes personnel training programs and special
demonstrations. Training grants are authorized to assist in increasing
the numbers of and skills of qualified personnel who provide services
to individuals with disabilities. The training program supports pre-
service training at degree granting institutions, experimental and
innovative training, continuing education programs, in-service training
for personnel of State vocational rehabilitation agencies, and training
of interpreters for individuals who are deaf or deaf-blind.
The discretionary project authority under title III funds
demonstration projects that focus on the service delivery needs of
individuals with severe disabilities, including supported employment
and transition from school-to-work services, projects for migratory
workers with disabilities, and recreational programs for individuals
with disabilities.
Title IV of the Act establishes the National Council on Disability.
The National Council on Disability is an independent Federal agency
whose duties include providing advice to Congress and the President on
the development of programs under the Rehabilitation Act and reviewing
and evaluating, on a continuing basis, all policies and programs for
individuals with disabilities conducted or assisted by the Federal
Government.
Title V contains various civil rights provisions and establishes
the Access Board. The function of the Access Board is to develop
accessibility guidelines and to ensure compliance with Federal statutes
requiring accessibility for persons with disabilities. This title also
authorizes the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Program,
which supports a system in each State to protect the human and legal
rights of individuals with disabilities who need services that are
beyond the scope of the State Client Assistance Program and who are not
eligible for services from other protection and advocacy programs.
Title VI of the Act includes authorization for funding Projects
With Industry and supported employment programs. The primary goal of
the
[[Page 35197]]
discretionary Projects With Industry grant program is to expand job
opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the competitive
labor market. In order to develop a partnership between business,
industry, labor, and the rehabilitation community, each project is
required to have a Business Advisory Council to provide advice on
available jobs and training requirements.
Title VI also includes a formula grant program to assist States in
developing collaborative programs with public agencies and nonprofit
organizations to provide training and other services leading to
supported employment for individuals with the most severe disabilities.
Title VII of the Act was amended significantly in 1992. This title
authorizes funding for comprehensive services for independent living,
independent living centers, and independent living services for older
persons who are blind or visually impaired. Each State must establish a
State Independent Living Council that jointly prepares and submits the
required State plan for independent living services.
A new title VIII was added to the Act in 1992. This title
authorizes a variety of discretionary special demonstration and
training programs.
Cooperation with Other Federal Agencies
The public meetings on the Act will be held in cooperation with the
National Council on Disability and the Federal agencies that are
responsible for the various civil rights provisions contained in title
V of the Act. The Assistant Secretary encourages participants at the
public meetings and respondents to the request for written comments to
consider the provisions of titles IV and V of the Act in their
deliberations, as well as those research, training, and service
delivery programs contained in the Act that are administered by the
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
AVAILABILITY OF COPIES OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED:
An electronic copy of the Act can be accessed through the RSA BBS by
calling the following access number: (202) 205-9694. If you experience
any difficulty in accessing the BBS, please contact either John Chapman
at (202) 205-9290 or Teresa Darter at (202) 205-8444, co-system
operators (sysops), for assistance. For those individuals unable to
access the BBS, copies of the Act are available in regular print, large
print, and computer diskette (WordPerfect 5.1 and ASCII formats) by
calling (202) 205-8831. A limited number of copies in braille are also
available.
MEETING INFORMATION: Meetings will be held in Oakland, California,
Washington, D.C., Boston, Massachusetts, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago,
Illinois, and Bellevue, Washington. Individuals desiring to present
comments at the meetings are encouraged to reserve a time on the
agenda. Individuals will be allowed between five and seven minutes to
present comments. The amount of time available will depend upon the
number of individuals who request reservations. Commenters are
encouraged to bring two copies of their proposed comments. Reservations
will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Given the level
of response expected, individuals should make reservations as soon as
possible. When making reservations, individuals must indicate the need
for any special accommodations, including sign language interpreters.
While reservations are not needed for those individuals who wish to
attend the meetings but do not want to make formal comments,
reservations are encouraged to facilitate the participant's access into
the proceedings held in Federal buildings. The meetings are open to the
public, and the meeting rooms and proceedings will be accessible for
individuals with disabilities.
The meeting in Oakland, California, will be held on July 8, 1996,
from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The location for the meeting is the
Marriott City Center Hotel, Jewett Ballroom A & B, 1001 Broadway,
Oakland, California. For reservations for the meeting in Oakland,
California, please call Gilbert ``Doc'' Williams at (415) 437-7840.
The meeting in Washington, D.C., will be held on July 11, 1996,
from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The location for the meeting is the Wilbur
J. Cohen Federal Building, 1st Floor Auditorium, 300 C Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. Photo identification is required to enter the Federal
building, and reservations are encouraged to facilitate access. For
reservations for the meeting in Washington, D.C., please call Beverlee
Stafford at (202) 205-8831.
The meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, will be held on July 23,
1996, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr.
Federal Building, 1st Floor Auditorium, 10 Causeway Street, Boston,
Massachusetts. Participants will have to pass through a security check/
metal detector for admittance into the Federal building. For
reservations for the meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, please call
Anthony Ruscio at (617) 223-4089.
The meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, will be held on September 17,
1996, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Shepherd Center, Callaway
Auditorium, Marcus Building, 2020 Peachtree Road, N.W., Atlanta,
Georgia. For reservations for the meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, please
call Diane Hart at (404) 331-2352.
The meeting in Chicago, Illinois, will be held on September 19,
1996, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the O'Hare Marriott Hotel, 8535
W. Higgens Road, Chicago, Illinois. For reservations for the meeting in
Chicago, Illinois, please call Kathleen Niemi at (312) 886-8623.
The meeting in Bellevue, Washington, will be held on October 29,
1996, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Red Lion Inn, 300 112th
Street, S.E., Bellevue, Washington. For reservations for the meeting in
Bellevue, Washington, please call Cecelia Cramer at (206) 220-7840.
(Authority: 29 U.S.C. 701)
Dated: June 28, 1996.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 96-17087 Filed 7-3-96; 8:45 am]
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