The governor's commission on disability shall establish and maintain a comprehensive statewide program designed to encourage and promote attention to the concerns of the training and employment of individuals with disabilities in this state. To further this purpose, the commission shall:

A. cooperate with the president's committee on employment of individuals with disabilities and other federal efforts on behalf of disability concerns;

B. cooperate with all employers and training leaders, both public and private, in locating or developing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities;

C. encourage and assist in the organization and operation of committees at the community level, the chairs of which shall automatically become members of the advisory council authorized under Section 28-10-4 NMSA 1978;

D. assist state, local and federal agencies to coordinate their activities to secure maximum utilization of funds and efforts that aid in the training and employment of individuals with disabilities;

E. enter into written agreements with public and private employers, unions and rehabilitation agencies for the purpose of achieving the maximum employment of individuals with disabilities;

F. inform individuals with disabilities who are seeking jobs of specific facilities available to assist them in locating suitable training and employment;

G. conduct educational programs via publications and other means to acquaint the public, the legislature and the governor with the abilities and the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities;

H. promote the elimination of architectural barriers in construction so as to make buildings used by the public readily accessible to and usable by persons with physical limitations;

I. make such rules as it determines advisable for the conduct of its own business;

J. designate standing committees related to state planning, community organization, public relations and information, legislative action, federal coordination, state coordination, youth, medical rehabilitation, employers and awards;

K. designate such special committees as necessary for undetermined periods to carry out special short-term programs;

L. establish and administer a residential accessibility modification program to assist low-income individuals with disabilities to make accessibility modifications to residential dwellings as needed to enable those individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes or to leave institutional settings and be reintegrated into the community;

M. give advice and testimony on disability concerns to the governor or the legislature or any committee established by them, upon request; and

N. provide training to state and local law enforcement officers regarding matters pertaining to accessible parking for persons with disabilities.

History: 1953 Comp., § 59-15-2, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 349, § 2; 1977, ch. 198, § 2; 1979, ch. 34, § 2; 2001, ch. 226, § 2; 2004, ch. 20, § 2; 2010, ch. 74, § 1.

The 2010 amendment, effective May 19, 2010, added Subsection N.

The 2004 amendment, effective May 19, 2004, changed the name of the "governor's committee on concerns of the handicapped" to the "governor's commission on disability" and made other minor grammatical changes throughout.

The 2001 amendment, effective April 3, 2001, added present Subsection L, and renumbered former Subsection L as M.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — When must specialized equipment or other workplace modifications be provided to qualified disabled employee or applicant as reasonable accommodation, 125 A.L.R. Fed. 629.

When must employer offer qualified disabled employee or applicant opportunity to change employee's workplace or work at home as means of fulfilling reasonable accommodation requirement, 133 A.L.R. Fed. 521.

When does job restructuring constitute reasonable accommodation of qualified disabled employee or applicant?, 142 A.L.R. Fed. 311.