2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XVII - Public Welfare › Chapter 120a - Interstate Compact on Juveniles › Section 4 - Powers and Duties of the Interstate Commission

Section 4. The commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) to provide for dispute resolution among compacting states;
(2) to promulgate rules to effect the purposes and obligations as enumerated in this compact, which shall have the force and effect of statutory law and shall be binding in the compacting states to the extent and in the manner provided in this compact;
(3) to oversee, supervise and coordinate the interstate movement of juveniles subject to the terms of this compact and any by-laws adopted and rules adopted by the interstate commission;
(4) to enforce compliance with the compact provisions, the rules adopted by the interstate commission and the by-laws, using all necessary and proper means including, but not limited to, the use of judicial process;
(5) to establish and maintain offices which shall be located within 1 or more of the compacting states;
(6) to purchase and maintain insurance and bonds;
(7) to borrow, accept, hire or contract for services of personnel;
(8) to establish and appoint committees and hire staff which it deems necessary for the carrying out of its functions including, but not limited to, an executive committee, as required by section 3, which shall have the power to act on behalf of the interstate commission in carrying out its powers and duties hereunder;
(9) to elect or appoint such officers, attorneys, employees, agents or consultants and to fix their compensation, define their duties and determine their qualifications and to establish the interstate commission's personnel policies and programs relating to, inter alia, conflicts of interest, rates of compensation and qualifications of personnel;
(10) to accept donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials and services and to receive, utilize and dispose of the same;
(11) to lease, purchase, accept contributions or donations of, or otherwise to own, hold, improve or use any property, real, personal or mixed;
(12) to sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, abandon or otherwise dispose of any property, real, personal or mixed;
(13) to establish a budget and make expenditures and levy dues as provided in section 11;
(14) to sue and be sued;
(15) to adopt a seal and by-laws governing the management and operation of the interstate commission;
(16) to perform such functions as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this compact;
(17) to report annually to the legislatures, governors, judiciary, and state councils of the compacting states relative to the activities of the interstate commission during the preceding year, including any recommendations that may have been adopted by the interstate commission;
(18) to coordinate education, training and public awareness relative to the interstate movement of juveniles for officials involved in such activity; and
(19) to establish uniform standards of the reporting, collecting and exchanging of data.
The interstate commission shall maintain its corporate books and records in accordance with the by-laws.