INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Gov. Holcomb ceremonially signed a new law Wednesday focused on helping individuals with disabilities find full-time employment.
The new law will task the Commission on Rehabilitation Services with identifying and resolving barriers to employment for people with disabilities.
State Rep. Mike Karickhoff (R-Kokomo), who sponsored the bill, said that the law will increase the number of community partners that serve on the commission.
The taskforce will reportedly determine how many people with disabilities are in a competitive integrated employment and then set goals to increase that number.
“This new priority enables the state to better promote competitive employment for working-age individuals with disabilities,” Karickhoff said. “The plan includes policies that focus on community-based, integrated employment opportunities.”
In 2015, the unemployment rate for those with disabilities was about double that of those without disabilities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.