1. (1) A statewide Elected Committee of Blind Vendors will be elected biennially. Membership on the Elected Committee of Blind Vendors will consist of one committee and one alternate member elected by permanently assigned vendors from each BEP representative's region. Any permanently assigned vendor may be elected to serve on the committee. A committee member and one alternate member will be elected at a local region meeting by vendors present and voting on or before July 31 of each year according to the following schedule:

   Even Year	Odd Year
   Birmingham North - Region 3	Birmingham South - Region 4
   Decatur East - Region 2	Decatur West - Region 1
   Mobile East - Region 12	Mobile West - Region 11
   Troy/Montgomery - Region 9	Montgomery East - Region 8
   Talladega - Region 7	Anniston - Region 6
   Tuscaloosa - Region 5	Dothan - Region 10

2. (2) The names of the elected and alternate committee member from each local region shall be submitted to the BEP director, in writing, no later than July 31 of each year. BEP representatives shall conduct and certify the election of committee members.
3. (3) In cases where BEP representative fails to submit the names of a committee or an alternate member to the BEP director by July 31 in each year, the BEP director will notify the committee chairperson. The Elected Committee of Blind Vendors shall have the authority to appoint a permanently assigned vendor as a committee or an alternate member from that region until an election can be conducted.
4. (4) Biennially the elected committee shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, parliamentarian, and secretary from among the elected committee members. Newly elected committee persons shall take office at the close of the elected committee meeting at the first (1st) quarterly meeting of the fiscal year of each year. The chairperson may appoint such subcommittees and special committees as deemed necessary to carry out the functions of the elected committee or SLA. The committee shall determine what rules, if any, will govern its meetings. During the joint meeting of outgoing and newly elected committee members, plans shall be made for an orderly transition.
5. (5) Should an elected committee or alternate member relocate to a region other than the one from which they were elected, said vendor shall resign from the elected committee.
6. (6) Should a vacancy for an elected committee member occur during his/her term of office, the alternate member shall serve the remainder of his/her term. Should a vacancy for an alternate member occur during his/her term of office, the SLA shall notify vendors from the designated local region. Vendors from the designated local region shall elect a replacement at a called or regularly scheduled meeting. The name of the replacement member shall be submitted in writing to the chairperson.

Author: Alabama Board of Rehabilitation Services, Alabama Elected Committee of Blind Vendors

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§21-1-40, 21-9-9; 20 U.S.C. 107 et. seq.

History: New Rule: Filed January 19, 2000; effective February 23, 2000. Amended: Filed September 3, 2004; effective October 8, 2004. Amended: Filed March 6, 2017; effective April 20, 2017.