NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1969 SESSION
CHAPTER 1255
HOUSE BILL 1121
AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 111 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES RELATING TO THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND.
The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:
Section 1. G.S. 111-1 is hereby amended by rewriting the Section in its entirety to read as follows:
"G.S. 111-1. Commission created; appointment by Governor; chairman. There is hereby established a State Commission, to be known as the North Carolina State Commission for the Blind, consisting of nine members, to be appointed by the Governor. Three members shall be appointed for terms of one year, three for terms of three years, and three for terms of five years. Upon the expiration of their terms, their successors shall be appointed for terms of five years. Any vacancy arising for any cause other than expiration of a term shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired term. The Governor shall designate a chairman from among the membership of the Commission."
Sec. 2. G.S. 111-2 is hereby amended by rewriting the Section in its entirety to read as follows:
"G.S. 111-2. Meetings. The Commission shall meet at such times and places as the Commission may determine, but it shall hold at least one meeting every three months. The chairman shall have authority to call special meetings when he deems it desirable."
Sec. 3. G.S. 111-3 is hereby amended by rewriting the Section in its entirety to read as follows:
"G.S. 111-3. Director. The Commission shall appoint a director to serve as a chief administrative and executive officer who shall serve at the pleasure of the Commission and shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Commission may authorize and direct. The position of director shall be subject to all the provisions of the State Personnel Act."
Sec. 4. Chapter 111 of the General Statutes is hereby amended by inserting a new section immediately following G.S. 111-27.1, to be designated as G.S. 11127.2, and to read as follows:
"G.S. 111-27.2. Blind vending stand operators: retirement benefits. The North Carolina State Commission for the Blind is authorized and empowered to continue and maintain, in its discretion, any existing retirement system providing retirement benefits for blind vending stand operators and to expend funds to provide necessary contributions to any existing retirement system for blind vending stand operators to the extent that the Commission determines such retirement system to be in the best interest of the blind vending stand operators."
Sec. 5. The North Carolina State Commission for the Blind is hereby directed to make findings of fact and recommendations by the opening date of the 1971 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly as to the permanent basis upon which blind vending stand operators should be classified and designated for personnel purposes and as to the most beneficial and preferable basis upon which to provide adequate retirement benefits for blind vending stand operators.
Sec. 6. The terms of all incumbent members of the present State Commission for the Blind shall expire on the effective date of this Act.
Sec. 7. (1) Blind Advisory Committee. There shall be a blind advisory committee composed of six (6) persons appointed by the Governor who are visually handicapped to the extent of being legally blind. The duty of this committee shall be to advise the Commission on the needs of the citizens of this State who are visually handicapped to the extent of being legally blind.
(2) Professional Advisory Committee. There shall be a professional advisory committee composed of six (6) persons, three (3) of whom shall be licensed physicians whose practice is limited to ophthalmology and three (3) optometrists appointed by the Governor from recommendations submitted by the Medical Society of North Carolina and the North Carolina State Optometric Society respectively. It shall be the duty of this committee to advise the Commission on matters concerning or pertaining to the procurement, utilization and rendering of professional services by said practitioners to the beneficiaries of the Commission's aid and services.
Of the committees appointed, on each committee two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, two (2) members appointed for a term of two (2) years and two (2) members appointed for a term of one (1) year. At the expiration of the term of any committee member, his successor shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years. The members of these committees shall receive no compensation for their services; but their traveling and other necessary expenses, incurred in the performance of their official duties, may be paid out of monies available for this purpose."
Sec. 8. All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 9. This Act shall become effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 2nd day of July, 1969.