2005 Minnesota Statutes - 268A.02 — Commissioner; Rehabilitation Advisory Council, staff.

     268A.02 Commissioner; Rehabilitation Advisory Council, 
  staff. 


    Subdivision 1.    Commissioner.  The commissioner is the 
 chief executive officer of the Department of Employment and 
 Economic Development and is the successor to the powers and 
 duties of the former assistant commissioner of vocational 
 rehabilitation.  


    Subd. 2.    Rehabilitation council.  The commissioner 
 shall establish a State Rehabilitation Council and a Statewide 
 Independent Living Council consistent with the federal 
 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, as amended.  
 Members of the councils shall be compensated as provided in 
 section 15.059, subdivision 3.  


    Subd. 3.    Electronic or telephonic meetings.  (a) 
 Notwithstanding section 13D.01, the State Rehabilitation Council 
 and the Statewide Independent Living Council may conduct a 
 meeting of its members by telephone or other electronic means so 
 long as the following conditions are met: 


    (1) all members of the council participating in the 
 meeting, wherever their physical location, can hear one another 
 and can hear all discussion and testimony; 


    (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting 
 location of the council can hear all discussion and testimony 
 and all votes of members of the council; 


    (3) at least one member of the council is physically 
 present at the regular meeting location; and 


    (4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's 
 vote on each issue can be identified and recorded.  


    (b) Each member of the council participating in a meeting 
 by telephone or other electronic means is considered present at 
 the meeting for purposes of determining a quorum and 
 participating in all proceedings. 


    (c) If telephone or other electronic means is used to 
 conduct a meeting, the council, to the extent practical, shall 
 allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a 
 remote location.  The council may require the person making such 
 a connection to pay for documented marginal costs that the 
 council incurs as a result of the additional connection. 


    (d) If telephone or other electronic means is used to 
 conduct a regular, special, or emergency meeting, the council 
 shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, of the 
 fact that some members may participate by telephone or other 
 electronic means, and of the provisions of paragraph (c).  The 
 timing and method of providing notice is governed by section 
 13D.04. 


    HIST: 1976 c 332 s 2; 1977 c 305 s 22; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 9 s 7; 
 1986 c 444; 1988 c 689 art 2 s 19; 1993 c 97 s 2; 1994 c 483 s 
 1; 1995 c 82 s 12,16; 2001 c 161 s 52; 2003 c 128 art 12 s 2; 
 2004 c 206 s 52