2009 Louisiana Laws TITLE 46 Public welfare and assistance :: RS 46:2634 Traumatic head and spinal cord injury trust fund advisory board; creation; membership

§2634.  Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board; creation; membership

A.  There is hereby created the Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board within the Department of Social Services, office of rehabilitation services.

B.  The Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board shall be composed of thirteen members as follows:

(1)  The director of the office of rehabilitation services of the Department of Social Services or his designee.

(2)  The executive director of the Louisiana Head Injury Foundation or his designee.

(3)  The executive director of the Louisiana Spinal Cord Injury Association or his designee.

(4)  A psychologist nominated by the Louisiana Psychologists Association.

(5)  A survivor of a traumatic head injury appointed by the governor.

(6)  A survivor of a spinal cord injury appointed by the governor.

(7)  A family member of a survivor of a traumatic head injury appointed by the governor.

(8)  A family member of a survivor of a spinal cord injury appointed by the governor.

(9)  The president of the Louisiana State Medical Society or his designee.

(10)  The president of the Louisiana Hospital Association or his designee.

(11)  The speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives or his designee.

(12)  The president of the Louisiana Senate or his designee.

(13)  The president of the Louisiana Dental Association or his designee.

C.  The terms of office of the appointed board members shall be four years.  However, the governor shall appoint the original members as follows:  three members for a term of three years and three members for a term of two years.  A vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

D.(1)  The board shall meet and organize immediately after appointment of its members and shall elect a chairman and a treasurer from its membership and other officers it might deem appropriate.  The board shall adopt rules for the orderly transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings, and determinations.  A majority of the individuals appointed to the board shall constitute a quorum. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties at the rate provided state employees.

(2)  The treasurer shall arrange for full and accurate financial records to be maintained in compliance with law and shall make a full and complete report to the board annually.  The board is specifically prohibited from publishing newsletters or other publications typically used in mass mailings.

E.  The board shall meet at least once in each quarter of the fiscal year and as often as necessary thereafter as deemed by the chairman.

F.  Failure of appointed members to attend three consecutive meetings shall be cause for termination from the board and the position shall be deemed vacant by notifying the appropriate appointing party.

G.  The board shall be domiciled in East Baton Rouge Parish.

H.  The board shall:

(1)  Promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Chapter.

(2)  Establish priorities and criteria for disbursement of the fund and act to obtain maximum benefits available.

(3)  Investigate the needs of the head-injured and spinal cord-injured, identify any gaps in services, and prepare and submit an annual report with recommendations to the legislature and the governor sixty days prior to each regular session of the legislature.

(4)  Monitor, evaluate, and review the development and quality of services and programs funded through the fund.

Acts 1993, No. 654, §1, eff. June 16, 1993; Acts 2003, No. 1153, §1.