GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1416*

Short Title:  Independent Living Program/Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Conder, Perdue, Warren, Daniel, Plexico; Parnell and Plyler.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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May 25, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO PROVIDE FOR A STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
Whereas, the General Assembly has established and funded 11 Independent Living Rehabilitation Program offices that serve 70 counties; and
Whereas, the Independent Living Program enables people with severe physical disabilities to manage their own lives better, to assume more personal responsibility to their families and to their communities, and to become more independent; and
Whereas, the specific services provided by the Independent Living Program, such as rehabilitation engineering, home and vehicle modifications, adaptive equipment purchases, housing placement and assistance, attendant care, attendant management training, planning for leisure activities, and other independent living guidance and counseling services, enable many severely physically handicapped people to maximize their potential as citizens in their homes and in their communities; and
Whereas, the independence severely physically handicapped people achieve through the Independent Living Program enables them to avoid being institutionalized for as long as possible, while the cost of the Program is far less than institutionalization would be; and 
Whereas, five more Program offices are needed to serve the remaining 30 counties:  Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Montgomery, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, Watauga, and Wilkes; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Resources, shall implement the Independent Living Rehabilitation Program statewide by establishing five new offices in Craven, Pasquotank, Stanly, Wake, and Watauga counties to facilitate Independent Living Rehabilitation Program services in the 30 remaining unserved counties, by providing for the service needs of eligible citizens served through existing Program offices, and by providing adequate administrative support to existing offices and the new offices established pursuant to this section.
Sec. 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Human Resources, the sum of four million three hundred fourteen thousand two hundred ninety-three dollars ($4,314,293) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to implement this act.
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.