I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6481 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 2, 2010 Ms. Richardson (for herself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Disability Integration and Coordination Improvement Act.

2.

Office of Disability Integration and Coordination

Section 513 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321b) is amended— (1)in subsection (b), by striking and after the semicolon at the end of paragraph (1), by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12), and by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraph: (11)serving as the Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination established under subsection (c); and ; and (2)by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c)

Office of Disability Integration and Coordination

(1)

In general

The Administrator shall establish within the Agency the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (in this subsection referred to as the Office). (2)

Mission

The Administrator shall, in consultation with the National Council on Disability, State, local, and tribal governments, private sector entities, and nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based and other community humanitarian relief entities, use the Office to implement strategies and activities in support of the responsibilities of the Disability Coordinator under this section and as assigned by other provisions of law or by the Administrator. (3)

Staffing

The Disability Coordinator— (A)subject to subparagraph (B), shall maintain staffing levels of the Office that are commensurate with the current and projected workload; (B)shall maintain not less than 10 full-time, permanent personnel of the headquarters office of the Agency who are properly trained to implement the Office’s mission, and who shall be assigned to the Regional Offices as necessary; and (C)shall periodically evaluate the staffing levels of the headquarters office of the Agency. (4)

Performance measures

The Administrator, in coordination with the Disability Coordinator and in consultation with the National Council on Disability, State, local, and tribal governments, private sector entities, and nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based and other community humanitarian relief entities, shall establish performance measures for the Office that are specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant, including but not limited to— (A)ensuring the timely development, update, integration, and dissemination of information, including policy guidance, training materials, and other planning tools for State, local, and tribal government officials and other appropriate stakeholders; and (B)ensuring the integration of people with disabilities into emergency, preparedness, protection, mitigation, evacuation, sheltering, transition, resiliency, and recovery plans. .

3.

Assessment of people with disabilities registries

(a)

General

The Administrator, subject to the availability of appropriations, shall enter into a contract with the National Academy of Public Administration within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act to— (1)conduct an assessment of the efficacy of State, local, and tribal governments’ and nonprofits’ registries of people with disabilities to guide planning and preparedness during local, State, and national disasters or emergencies resulting from a natural disaster, an act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster; and (2)provide recommendations for establishing a Federal disabilities registry. (b)

Study goals

The study shall— (1)review national trends of State, local, and tribal governments’ use of such registries; (2)provide a comparative analysis, including costs, of the sampling of such registries; (3)determine the effectiveness of such registries for implementing emergency planning, evacuation, and recovery plans related to sheltering needs for people with disabilities during disasters and emergencies resulting from a natural disaster, an act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster; (4)review best practices from State, local, and tribal governments that have adopted a registry plan; and (5)provide recommendations for implementation of a Federal disabilities registry. (c)

Final report

The National Academy of Public Administration shall— (1)submit the findings of the study to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency not later than 12 months after the contract is awarded; and (2)periodically brief Congress on the progress of the study.