Bill > S2166

This bill, titled "To relative to the hiring of persons with a disability," aims to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities within state government and its contractors. It mandates that the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), in collaboration with several disability-focused state agencies, develop standards for identifying, recruiting, and hiring qualified applicants with disabilities. These standards will apply to all contractors and subcontractors providing goods and services under state agency contracts and grants, requiring a commitment to hiring individuals with disabilities and providing training to state employees involved in hiring decisions, referencing federal law 42 U.S.C. 12111 et seq. (Americans with Disabilities Act). The SDO will be required to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing its progress and the employment statistics of individuals with disabilities in state agencies, and the director will adopt regulations to implement these provisions. Additionally, the bill requires the SDO to notify the general court before new regulations take effect and to file a separate report by March 15, 2017, with recommendations on how to measure employment rates of people with disabilities among state contractors and subcontractors.