WHEREAS, The State of New York is the host State of the United Nations;

WHEREAS, The United Nations has designated 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons; and

WHEREAS, In response to the United Nations' appeal, a United States Council for the International Year of Disabled Persons was formed to develop and carry out a United States action program for the International Year observance; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Council, realizing that the success of the International Year of Disabled Persons greatly depends on State and local participation, as well as the active participation of individuals with disabilities, has requested the states to participate in this effort; and

WHEREAS, The State of New York has recognized the rights of disabled persons to equal opportunity in employment, education, housing, transportation, health and social services and has taken a significant leadership role in this area; and

WHEREAS, The State of New York is committed to the elimination of all barriers confronting disabled persons and the promotion of such programs to assure that each disabled person can live with dignity and pride, achieve independence and, to the fullest extent possible, become a participating member of our society and enjoy all the social, leisure, recreational and cultural activities available to the nondisabled;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Hugh L. Carey, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons in New York State and do hereby create a Governor's Commission on the International Year of Disabled Persons.

I. Governor's Commission on the International Year of Disabled Persons.

There shall be a commission on the International Year of Disabled Persons to enhance State and local efforts relating to the International Year of Disabled Persons. The cochairpersons of the commission shall be the Lieutenant Governor and the chairperson of the Health Planning Commission. The commission shall be composed of at least 20 members of the general public appointed by the Governor, including disabled persons, representatives of organizations representing or serving disabled persons, relatives of disabled persons, representatives of business, labor and the media and members of the Legislature. In addition, the commission shall consist of the commissioner, chairperson or director of the following agencies: the Departments of Education, Health, Labor, Social Services, Transportation; the Offices of the Advocate for the Disabled, Aging, Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities, Parks and Recreation; the Divisions of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, Substance Abuse Services, Budget, Veterans' Affairs; the Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled; the Council on Children and Families and the Workers' Compensation Board.

II. The Commissions shall have the following powers, functions and duties:

(1) Promote an increased awareness of the needs of individuals with disabilities, with special attention to be given to:

(2) Encourage the continued establishment of appropriate advocacy systems to ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all of the rights, benefits and services to which they are entitled.

(3) Review Federal, State and local programs for disabled persons, including the funding thereof, to suggest where inadequacies exist, where modifications of programs might be appropriate, where new initiatives are necessary and how greater coordination between Federal, State and local programs might be achieved.

(4) Promote effective measures for the prevention of disability and for the rehabilitation of disabled persons.

(5) Promote New York State's efforts to provide disabled persons with the assistance, training, care and guidance necessary to make available opportunities for suitable work and to ensure their full integration into society.

(6) Encourage study and research projects designed to facilitate the practical participation of disabled persons in the daily life and activities of the people in the State.

(7) Encourage the development of local or regional efforts throughout the State in furtherance of the goals of the International Year of Disabled Persons and to coordinate and assist such efforts on a statewide basis.

(8) Consult with the United Nations, any member nation thereof, sister states, Federal, State or local agencies and with any private or nonprofit organizations concerned with the needs of the disabled or the International Year of Disabled Persons and obtain such information and assistance as may be necessary to enable the commission to fulfill the requirements of this order.

III. Administration, Operations and Personnel.

(1) The commission shall meet at such times as designated by the cochairpersons.

(2) Commission members, except the commissioners, directors and chairpersons of State departments, agencies or offices, or their designees, shall be unsalaried but shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses of their duties as members.

(3) In performing its powers, functions and duties, the commission shall utilize the resources of the Office of the Advocate for the Disabled and any State agency capable of providing such assistance.

(4) The Office of the Advocate for the Disabled may employ such staff as deemed necessary to support the work of the commission and establish compensation therefore within the amounts available subject to the approval of the Director of the Budget.

(5) To the extent that funds are from time to time provided to the Office of the Advocate for the Disabled for the purposes of this order, the office may provide for the expenses of administration, travel, promotion, program development by local organizations and reimbursement of expenses to members of the commission.

(6) With respect to the functions, powers and duties assigned hereunder, subject to the approval of the Director of the Budget, the Advocate for the Disabled is authorized to accept, agree to accept and contract for any grant, donation or gift and to contract to expend or expend the proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, for any of the purposes of this order, subject to the same limitations as to approval of expenditures and audit as are prescribed for State funds made available for the purpose of this order.

IV. Termination of Commission.

The commission shall terminate its work and be relieved of all responsibilities and duties hereunder with the submission of a final report to the Governor on or about June 30, 1982. The final report shall contain a summary of the commission activities and the activities of other State agencies in connection with the International Year of Disabled Persons (1981) and shall include recommendations for future actions which would benefit disabled citizens of New York State.