2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XVII - Public Welfare › Chapter 120a - Interstate Compact on Juveniles › Section 3 - Interstate Commission for Juveniles

Section 3. (a) The compacting states hereby create the interstate commission for juveniles. The commission shall be a body corporate and joint agency of the compacting states. The commission shall have all the responsibilities, powers and duties set forth herein, and such additional powers as may be conferred upon it by subsequent action of the respective legislatures of the compacting states in accordance with the terms of this compact.
(b) The interstate commission shall consist of commissioners appointed by the appropriate appointing authority in each state pursuant to the rules and requirements of each compacting state and in consultation with the state council for interstate juvenile supervision created hereunder. The commissioner shall be the compact administrator, deputy compact administrator or designee from a state who shall serve on the interstate commission in such capacity pursuant to the applicable law of such compacting state.
(c) In addition to the commissioners, who shall be the voting representatives of each state, the interstate commission shall include individuals who are not commissioners, but who are members of interested organizations. Such non-commissioner members shall include a member of the national organizations of governors, legislators, state chief justices, attorneys general, interstate compact for adult offender supervision, interstate compact for the placement of children, juvenile justice and juvenile corrections officials and crime victims. All non-commissioner members of the interstate commission shall be ex-officio members. The interstate commission may provide in its by-laws for such additional ex-officio members, including members of other national organizations, in such numbers as shall be determined by the commission.
(d) Each compacting state represented at any meeting of the commission shall be entitled to 1 vote. A majority of the compacting states shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless a larger quorum is required by the by-laws of the interstate commission.
(e) The commission shall meet at least once each calendar year. The chairperson may call additional meetings and, upon the request of a simple majority of the compacting states, shall call additional meetings. Public notice shall be given of all meetings and meetings shall be open to the public.
(f) The interstate commission shall establish an executive committee, which shall include commission officers, members and others as determined by the by-laws. The executive committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the interstate commission during periods when the interstate commission is not in session, with the exception of rulemaking power or power to amend the compact. The executive committee shall oversee the day-to-day activities of the administration of the compact managed by an executive director and interstate commission staff; administer enforcement and compliance with the compact, its by-laws and rules; and perform such other duties as directed by the interstate commission or set forth in the by-laws.
(g) Each member of the interstate commission shall have the right and power to cast a vote to which that compacting state is entitled and to participate in the business and affairs of the interstate commission. A member shall vote in person and shall not delegate a vote to another compacting state; provided, however, a commissioner, in consultation with the state council, shall appoint another authorized representative, in the absence of such commissioner from that state, to cast a vote on behalf of such compacting state at a specified meeting. The by-laws may provide for members' participation in meetings by telephone or other means of telecommunication or electronic communication.
(h) The interstate commission's by-laws shall establish conditions and procedures under which the interstate commission shall make its information and official records available to the public for inspection or copying. The interstate commission may exempt from disclosure any information or official records to the extent that they would adversely affect personal privacy rights or proprietary interests.
(i) Public notice shall be given of all meetings and all meetings shall be open to the public, except as set forth in the rules or as otherwise provided in the compact. The interstate commission and any of its committees may close a meeting to the public if it determines, by two-thirds vote, that an open meeting would be likely to:
(1) relate solely to the interstate commission's internal personnel practices and procedures;
(2) disclose matters specifically exempted from disclosure by statute;
(3) disclose trade secrets or commercial or financial information which is privileged or confidential;
(4) involve accusing any person of a crime or formally censuring any person;
(5) disclose information of a personal nature if disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(6) disclose investigative records compiled for law enforcement purposes;
(7) disclose information contained in, or related to, examination, operating or condition reports prepared by, or on behalf of or for the use of, the interstate commission relative to a regulated person or entity for the purpose of regulation or supervision of such person or entity;
(8) disclose information, the premature disclosure of which would significantly endanger the stability of a regulated person or entity; or
(9) specifically relate to the interstate commission's issuance of a subpoena, or its participation in a civil action or other legal proceeding.
(j) For every meeting closed pursuant to this section, the interstate commission's legal counsel shall publicly certify that, in the legal counsel's opinion, the meeting may be closed to the public and shall reference each relevant exemption. The interstate commission shall keep minutes which shall fully and clearly describe all matters discussed in any meeting and shall provide a full and accurate summary of any actions taken, and the reasons therefore, including a description of each of the views expressed on any item and the record of any roll call vote reflected in the vote of each member on the question. All documents considered in connection with any action shall be identified in the minutes.
(k) The interstate commission shall collect standardized data relative to the interstate movement of juveniles as directed through its rules which shall specify the data to be collected, the means of collection and data exchange and reporting requirements. Such methods of data collection, exchange and reporting shall, insofar as is reasonably possible, conform to up-to-date technology and coordinate its information functions with the appropriate repository of records.