(A) There is hereby created a state rehabilitation services council to be known as the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities council. The opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency shall provide administrative support to the council. The council shall consist of the following members:

(1) An individual who represents a parent training and information center established in accordance with the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 20 U.S.C. 1400;

(2) A full-time employee of a client assistance program described in 34 C.F.R. 370.1;

(3) A vocational counselor who has knowledge of and experience with vocational rehabilitation services;

(4) An individual who represents community rehabilitation program service providers;

(5) Four individuals each representing business, industry, or labor interests;

(6) An individual who represents an organization that advocates on behalf of individuals with physical, cognitive, sensory, or mental disabilities;

(7) An individual who represents individuals with disabilities who are unable to represent or have difficulty representing themselves;

(8) An individual who has applied for or received vocational rehabilitation services;

(9) An individual who represents institutions of secondary or higher education;

(10) An individual from the governor's executive workforce board established by section 6301.04 of the Revised Code;

(11) An individual from the department of education with knowledge of and experience with the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act";

(12) An individual who represents the Ohio statewide independent living council.

A majority of the members of the council shall be individuals with disabilities who are not employed by the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency.

The executive director of the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency shall serve as a nonvoting member of the council. If a member of the council is an employee of the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency, then that member also shall serve as a nonvoting member of the council.

(B)

(1) All council members shall be appointed by the governor. The governor shall make initial appointments to the council not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. Of the initial appointments, five shall be for terms of three years, five for terms of two years, and five for terms of one year. Thereafter, terms shall be three years.

(2) When a term expires or a vacancy occurs before a term expires, a successor member shall be appointed. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of a term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that term.

(3) Except for the member described in division (A)(2) of this section and the executive director of the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency, no person shall serve more than two consecutive terms on the council. Terms shall be considered consecutive unless they are separated by a period of three or more years. In determining a person's eligibility to serve on the council under this division, both of the following shall apply:

(a) Time spent on the council while serving the remainder of an unexpired term to which another person was first appointed shall not be considered, provided that a period of at least three years passed between the time, if any, in which the person previously served on the council and the time the person is appointed to fulfill the unexpired term.

(b) A person who is appointed to serve on the council at the beginning of a term and resigns before completing that term shall be considered to have served the full term.

(C) Each member of the council shall serve without compensation, except to the extent that serving on the council is considered part of the member's regular duties of employment. Each member shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of the member's official duties, including expenses for travel and personal assistance services.

Added by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 144, §1, eff. 6/1/2018.

Related Legislative Provision: See 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 144, §3.