SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 34
WHEREAS, Missouri's Rehabilitation Services for the Blind is housed within the Department of Social Services; and
WHEREAS, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind is in place to create opportunities for eligible blind and visually impaired persons so that they may attain personal and vocational success; and
WHEREAS, the services provided by Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB) assist people with varying degrees of visual impairment, ranging from those who cannot read regular print to those who are totally blind and serve a vital role for those persons seeking its services; and
WHEREAS, changing the status of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind from one of many "programs" within the Department of Social Services to its own division is necessary:
(1) Because the number of eligible blind and visually-impaired person increases substantially each year; and
(2) To ensure that Rehabilitation Services for the Blind continues to provide the most efficient and beneficial services to eligible blind and visually-impaired persons; and
(3) To ensure that the new director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind can maintain better control of the services provided and can continue to receive the appropriate funding from the state of Missouri:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-Second General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby request the Governor to authorize by Executive Order the transfer of all duties, functions and responsibilities of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind from "program" status within the Department of Social Services and thereby creating the Division of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind which will raise its level of distinction within the Department; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Missouri Senate be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the Governor.