INTERSTATE MIGRANT LABOR COMPACT

MEMBER JURISDICTION.–The compact for migrant labor is entered into with all jurisdictions legally joining therein and enacted into law in the following form:

INTERSTATE MIGRANT LABOR COMPACT

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE AND POLICY.–

A. It is the purpose of this compact to:

1. Establish and maintain close cooperation and understanding of migrant labor programs among executive, legislative, and local government bodies and lay leadership on a nationwide basis at the state and local levels.

2. Provide a forum for the discussion, development, crystallization, and recommendation of public policy alternatives in a continuing effort to meet the problems arising from the interstate flow of migrant labor.

3. Provide a clearinghouse of information on matters relating to migrant labor problems and how they are being met in different places throughout the nation, so that the executive and legislative branches of state government and of local communities may have ready access to the experience and record of the entire country, and so that both governmental and lay groups in the field may have additional avenues for the sharing of experience and the interchange of ideas in the formation of public policy for migrant labor.

4. Facilitate the improvement of state and local programs, so that all of them will be able to meet adequate and desirable goals in a society which requires continuous qualitative and quantitative advancement, and provides means whereby the party states can coordinate programs, devise agreements for consistent application of programs, and increase the effectiveness of programs.

B. It is the policy of this compact to encourage and promote local and state initiative in the development, maintenance, improvement, and administration of migrant labor programs in a manner which will accord with the needs and advantages of diversity among localities and states.

C. Further, it is the policy of this compact that the party states recognize that each of them has an interest in the quality of the programs offered in each of the other states, as well as in the excellence of its own programs, because of the highly mobile character of the migrant labor force as a group, and because the products and services contributing to the health, welfare, and economic advancement of each state are supplied in part by persons working in this group.

ARTICLE II

STATE DEFINED.–

As used in this compact, “state” means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

ARTICLE III

THE COMMISSION.–

A. The interstate migrant labor commission, hereinafter called “the commission,” is hereby established. The commission shall consist of five members representing each party state. One of such members representing each state shall be the governor or his or her representative; one shall be a member of the upper house of the state legislature, appointed by the presiding officer thereof; one shall be a member of the lower house of the state legislature, appointed by the presiding officer; and two shall be appointed by the governor, one of whom may be a local government official from an area of the state concerned with migrant labor problems. The guiding principle for the composition of the membership of the commission shall be that the members, by virtue of their training, experience, knowledge, or affiliations be in a position collectively to reflect broadly the interests of the state and local government in migrant labor affairs.

B. The members of the commission shall be entitled to one vote each on the commission. No action of the commission shall be binding unless taken at a meeting at which a majority of the total number of votes on the commission are cast in favor thereof. Action of the commission shall be taken only at a meeting at which a majority of the commissioners are present. The commission shall meet at least once a year. In its bylaws, and subject to such directions and limitations as may be contained therein, the commission may delegate the exercise of any of its powers to subcommittees appointed for specific purposes.

C. The commission shall elect annually from among its members a chair, who shall be a governor or member of a party state legislature, a vice chair, and treasurer.

D. The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The executive director together with the treasurer and other officers of the commission shall be bonded in the amount as the commission determines. The executive director shall serve as secretary.

E. The executive director shall have the authority to direct the staff to comply with those goals established by the commission in both the compact and the bylaws of the commission. The executive director and the staff may be furnished by the council of state governments, serving the goals of the commission and any related activities of the council of state governments. In such case the commission shall reimburse the council of state governments for all reasonable charges for the services provided. The commission in its bylaws shall provide for the personnel policies and programs of the commission.

F. The commission may borrow, accept or contract for the services of personnel from any party jurisdiction, the United States, or any subdivision or agency of two or more of the party jurisdictions or their subdivisions.

G. The commission may accept for any of its purposes and functions under this compact any donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services, conditional or otherwise, from any state, the United States, or any other governmental agency or from any person, firm, association, foundation, or corporation, and may utilize and dispose of the same. Any donation or grant accepted by the commission pursuant to this paragraph or services borrowed pursuant to paragraph F. of this article shall be reported in the annual report of the commission. Such report shall include the nature, amount and conditions, if any, of the donation, grant or services borrowed, and the identity of the donor or lender.

H. The commission shall adopt bylaws for the conduct of its business and shall have the power to amend and rescind these bylaws. The commission shall publish its bylaws in convenient form and shall file a copy thereof and a copy of any amendment thereto with the appropriate agency or officer in each of the party states.

I. The commission annually shall make to the governor and legislature of each party state a report covering the activities of the commission for the preceding year. The commission may make such additional reports as it may deem desirable.

ARTICLE IV

POWERS.–

In addition to authority conferred on the commission by other provisions of the compact, the commission shall have authority to:

1. Through the available facilities of party states, collect, correlate, analyze, and interpret information and data concerning migrant labor problems and resources available for solving such problems.

2. Encourage and foster research in all aspects of migrant labor, with special reference to the desirable organization, administration, and methods to be employed in meeting the needs of such labor.

3. Develop proposals for adequate financing of programs as a whole at each of many levels.

4. Conduct or participate in research of the types referred to in this article in any instance where the commission finds that such research is necessary for the advancement of the purposes and policies of this compact, utilizing fully the resources available from party states and any other reasonably associated agencies, associations, or institutions, public or private.

5. Formulate suggested policies and plans for the improvement of migrant labor programs as a whole, or for any segment thereof, and make recommendations with respect thereto available to the appropriate governmental units, agencies and public officials.

6. Cooperate with commissions, agencies, and committees of other states having similar responsibilities, specifically party states of this compact.

7. Establish cooperative arrangements among party states whereby migrant labor programs shall have a continuing administration, application, and effectiveness from state to state.

8. Do such other things as may be necessary or incidental to the administration of any of its authority or functions pursuant to this compact.

ARTICLE V

COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.–

A. If the laws of the United States specifically so provide, or if administrative provision is made therefor within the federal government, the United States may be represented on the commission by not to exceed five representatives. Any such representative or representatives of the United States shall be appointed and serve in such manner as may be provided by or pursuant to federal law, and may be drawn from any one or more branches of the federal government, but no such representative shall have a vote on the commission.

B. The commission may provide information and make recommendations to any executive or legislative agency or officer of the federal government concerning the common policies on migrant labor of the states, and may advise with any such agencies or officers concerning any matter of mutual interest.

ARTICLE VI

COMMITTEES.–

A. The commission may establish advisory and technical committees composed of state, local, and federal officials, and private persons to advise it with respect to any one or more of its functions. Any advisory or technical committee may, on request of the states concerned, be established to consider any matter of special concern to two or more of the party states.

B. The commission may establish such additional committees as its bylaws may provide.

ARTICLE VII

FINANCE.–

A. The commission shall advise the governor or designated officer or officers of each party state of its budget and estimate expenditures for such period as may be required by the laws of that party state. Each of the commission’s budgets of estimated expenditures shall contain specific recommendations of the amount or amounts to be appropriated by each of the party states.

B. The total amount of appropriation request under any budget shall be apportioned among the party states. In making such apportionment, the commission shall devise and employ a formula which takes equitable account of the populations and per capita income levels of the party states.

C. The commission shall not pledge the credit of any party state. The commission may meet any of its obligations in whole or in part with funds available to it pursuant to Article III, G. of this compact, provided that the commission takes specific action setting aside such funds prior to incurring an obligation to be met in whole or in part in such manner. Except when the commission makes use of funds available to it pursuant to Article III, G. hereof, the commission shall not incur any obligation prior to the allotment of funds by the party states adequate to meet the same.

D. The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the commission shall be subject to the audit and accounting procedures established by its bylaws. However, all receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the commission shall be audited yearly by a qualified public accountant, and the report of the audit shall be included in and become part of the annual reports of the commission.

E. The accounts of the commission shall be open at any reasonable time for inspection by duly constituted officers of the party states and by any persons authorized by the commission.

F. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent commission compliance with laws relating to audit or inspection of accounts by or on behalf of any government contributing to the support of the commission.

ARTICLE VIII

ELIGIBLE PARTIES; ENTRY INTO AND WITHDRAWAL.–

A. This compact shall have as eligible parties all states, territories, and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In respect of any such jurisdiction not having a governor, the term “governor” as used in this compact shall mean the closest equivalent official of such jurisdiction.

B. Any state or other eligible jurisdiction may enter into this compact and it shall become binding thereon when it has adopted the same; provided that in order to enter into initial effect, adoption by at least five eligible party jurisdictions shall be required.

C. Adoptions of the compact may be either by enactment or by adherence thereto by the governor; provided that in the absence of enactment, adherence by the governor shall be sufficient to make his or her state a party only until the next succeeding December 31. During any period when a state is participating in this compact through gubernatorial action, the governor shall appoint those persons who, in addition to himself or herself, shall serve as the members of the commission from his or her state and shall provide to the commission an equitable share of the financial support of the commission from any source available to him or her.

D. Except for a withdrawal effective on December 31, in accordance with paragraph C. of this article, any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until one year after the governor of the withdrawing state has given notice in writing of the withdrawal to the governors of all other party states.

ARTICLE IX

CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY.–

A. This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes thereof. The provisions of this compact shall be severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any state or of the United States, or the application thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state participating therein, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.

COMMISSION BYLAWS.–

B. Pursuant to Paragraph I. of Article III, of this compact, the commission shall file a copy of its bylaws and any amendment thereto with the governor.