A. Effective July 1, 1993, there is hereby created the Commission for Rehabilitation Services, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, a body corporate and politic, with powers of government and with the authority to exercise the rights, privileges and functions as herein specified, with its lawful operations deemed to be an essential governmental function of the State of Oklahoma with all the attributes thereof.

B. The Commission shall appoint and remove the Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, approve programs, policy and budget, and perform the necessary functions of a governing board for the State Department of Rehabilitation Services.

D. Members of the Commission shall be knowledgeable of and have concern for rehabilitation issues and disability issues; provided, that such requirement shall not exclude participation of lay persons as Commission members. All members shall be residents of the state and qualified electors at the time of their appointment. Before entering upon the duties of their office, members of the Commission shall take the Constitutional oath of office and the same shall be filed with the Secretary of State. A member of the Commission may be reappointed to succeed himself or herself. Commission members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act.¹

E. The original appointing authority may remove any commissioner for misconduct, incompetency or neglect of duty, after giving such commissioner a written statement of charges, and opportunity for a hearing.