South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 18 - SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND › Title 1 - BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM › Section 18-17 - Election, Organization and Function of the Business Enterprise Program Vendors Committee

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. The Agency will conduct among the Blind Licensed Vendors in the program a biennial election of a BEP Vendors Committee which will be representative, to the extent possible, of all such Blind Licensed Vendors on the basis of factors such as geographical location, vending facility type, and proportionally representative of Blind Licensed Vendors on Federal, State and private property.
B. The BEP Vendors Committee will be composed of one (1) Blind Licensed Vendor from each Business Enterprise Program District and one Blind Licensed Vendor elected at large.
C. A BEP Vendors Committee member will be nominated and elected among all the Blind Licensed Vendors in a district at a general meeting of all Blind Licensed Vendors within that district. Nominations and elections will be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
D. A Blind Licensed Vendor who is elected to the BEP Vendors Committee must be working in the district they are elected to represent, unless the Blind Licensed Vendor is unable to transfer due to no fault of the Blind Licensed Vendor. The BEP Vendors Committee Representative must reside within a 50-mile radius of the district he or she works.
E. The term of membership for a Committee Member will be two (2) years.
F. A member may serve any number of consecutive terms if he or she is re-elected by a majority of the Blind Licensed Vendors voting from his or her district.
G. The BEP Vendors Committee will elect a Chairman from among its members to serve for a period of two years. A chairman can serve no more than three consecutive terms.
H. The BEP Vendors Committee will meet on a quarterly basis at the Ellen Beach Mack Rehabilitation Center. The Chairman may call for special meetings as necessary.
I. The Chairman may establish subcommittees when necessary to carry out specific tasks.
J. The Agency will provide the BEP Vendors Committee with such secretarial and financial support as necessary for the BEP Vendors Committee to carry out it's functions.
K. The Agency will provide meeting space for the BEP Vendors Committee meetings.
L. The Agency will reimburse the BEP Vendors Committee Members for expenses incurred in participating in the BEP Vendors Committee meetings.
M. The BEP Vendors Committee will:
1. Actively participate with the Agency in major administrative decisions and policy and program development decisions affecting the overall administration of the Agency's Vending Facility.
2. Receive and transmit to the Agency grievances at the request of Blind Licensed Vendors and serve as advocates for such vendors in connection with such grievances.
3. Actively participate with the Agency in the development and administration of a system for the promotion and transfer of Blind Licensed Vendors.
4. Actively participate with the Agency in the development of training and retraining programs for Blind Licensed Vendors.
5. Sponsor, with the assistance of the Agency, meetings and instructional conferences for Blind Licensed Vendors within the state subject to the availability of funds.