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

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:

N. In order to assure opportunity for effective and constructive active participation by the BEP Vendors Committee, its members will be provided advance written notice from the Agency of matters within its purview that are being considered for decision. Appropriate subcommittees or individual Members will receive written notices of and invitations to attend important discussion or decision making meetings in areas of the subcommittee's interest.

O. The BEP Vendors Committee, in its role of active participant in decision making and administration consistent with Section 395.14 of the Federal Regulations, will have the opportunity to initiate agenda items for BEP Vendors Committee meetings and will do so by notifying the Chairman. Individual Blind Licensed Vendors who wish to suggest items for consideration at BEP Vendors Committee meetings will do so by contacting their district BEP Vendors Committee Representative. The agenda will be set, based on such input, by the Chairman and the Agency. Each Blind Licensed Vendor will receive notification of BEP Vendors Committee meeting time, place, date and agenda. Blind Licensed Vendors are encouraged to express their views on agenda items to their representatives. While Blind Licensed Vendors are welcome to attend committee meetings, they will do so as observers only, and at their own expense. The purpose of the BEP Vendors Committee is to provide representation for each Blind Licensed Vendor through their Elected BEP Vendors Committee Representative.

P. The Agency has the ultimate responsibility for the administration of the State Vending Facility Program. The views and positions of the BEP Vendors Committee and the views and positions of the administration will be submitted to the Agency Board for decision. If the Board does not adopt the views and positions of the BEP Vendors Committee, the Chairman of the Board will notify the BEP Vendors Committee in writing of the decision reached or the action taken and the reasons therefor.

Q. The at large Blind Licensed Vendor will be elected at the BEP Vendor's Annual Meeting by a majority of all Blind Licensed Vendors. The at large Blind Licensed Vendor will be a minority vendor, unless the BEP Vendors Committee's composition exceeds the minority population, the at large Blind Licensed Vendor may be any Blind Licensed Vendor operating a vending facility in South Carolina.