Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 302-S.F.No. 735 
           An act relating to human services; providing for a 
          statewide interpreter service for hearing impaired 
          persons; altering membership on Minnesota council for 
          the hearing impaired; amending Minnesota Statutes 
          1986, sections 256C.24, subdivisions 2 and 3; 256C.25, 
          subdivisions 1 and 2; and 256C.28, subdivisions 1 and 
          3.  
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.24, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 2.  [RESPONSIBILITIES.] The regional service center 
shall:  
    (a) serve as the central entry point for hearing impaired 
persons in need of human services and make referrals to the 
services needed;  
    (b) employ staff trained to work with hearing impaired 
persons;  
    (c) provide to all hearing impaired persons access to 
interpreter services which are necessary to help them obtain 
human services; 
    (d) serve as the regional interpreter referral center for 
hearing impaired persons and human services agencies assist the 
central interpreter referral agency with local and regional 
interpreter referrals;  
    (e) implement a plan to provide loan equipment and resource 
materials to hearing impaired persons; and 
    (f) cooperate with responsible departments and 
administrative authorities to provide access for hearing 
impaired persons to services provided by state, county and 
regional agencies.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.24, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 3.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner of human 
services shall appoint an advisory committee of eight persons 
for each regional service center.  Members shall include four 
persons who are hearing impaired persons or who are the, parents 
of a hearing impaired child children, and four representatives 
of county and regional human services, including representatives 
of private service providers.  Members shall serve without 
payment by the state of per diem or expense At least 50 percent 
of the members must be hearing impaired.  The commissioner of 
human services shall designate one member as chair.  The 
commissioner of human services shall assign staff to serve as ex 
officio members of the committee.  The compensation, removal of 
members, and filling of vacancies on the committee shall be as 
provided in section 15.0575.  
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.25, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The commissioner of human 
services shall supervise the development and implementation of a 
statewide interpreter referral service.  The commissioner of 
human services shall contract with an appropriate 
organizations agency to provide this centralized service.  
    Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.25, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 2.  [DUTIES.] The central interpreter referral 
service agency shall:  
    (a) Establish and maintain a statewide directory of 
interpreters who have received appropriate training and 
certification interpreter referral service, maintain statistics 
related to interpreter referral services, and maintain a 
statewide directory of qualified interpreters; 
    (b) Provide technical assistance to Cooperate with the 
regional service centers in implementing the providing 
interpreter referral service; and 
    (c) Assess the present and projected supply and demand for 
interpreting services statewide Cooperate with the regional 
service centers on projects to train interpreters and advocate 
for and evaluate interpreter services.  
    Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.28, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The Minnesota council for the 
hearing impaired consists of seven members appointed by the 
commissioner of human services at large and a one member from 
each advisory council committee established under section 
256C.24, subdivision 3.  At least four of the members appointed 
by the commissioner 50 percent of the members must be hearing 
impaired.  Members shall include persons who are hearing 
impaired, parents of hearing impaired children, and 
representatives of county and regional human services, including 
representatives of private service providers.  Council members 
are appointed by the commissioner serve four-year terms, except 
for the members first appointed, of whom three are appointed for 
a term ending December 31, 1990, two for terms ending December 
31, 1989, and two for terms ending December 31, 1988 of human 
services for a two-year term and shall serve no more than two 
consecutive terms.  The commissioner of human services shall 
appoint one member as chair. 
     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 256C.28, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [DUTIES.] The council shall: 
    (1) advise the commissioner and governor on the development 
of policies, programs, and services affecting the hearing 
impaired, and on the use of appropriate federal and state money; 
    (2) create a public awareness of the special needs and 
potential of hearing impaired persons; and 
    (3) provide the commissioner and governor with a review of 
ongoing services, programs, and proposed legislation affecting 
the hearing impaired. 
    Approved May 28, 1987