Sec. 13. (a) The commission shall pay or provide for the payment of the reasonable expenses of the commission’s establishment and organization. To fund the cost of the commission’s initial operations, the commission may accept contributions and other forms of funding from the NAIC, compacting states, and other sources. Contributions and other forms of funding from other sources shall be of such a nature that the independence of the commission concerning the performance of the commission’s duties is not compromised.

     (b) The commission shall collect a filing fee from each insurer and third party filer filing a product with the commission to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the commission and the commission’s staff in an amount sufficient to cover the commission’s annual budget.

     (c) The commission’s budget for a fiscal year may not be approved until the commission’s budget has been subject to notice and comment as set forth in section 8(b) of this chapter.

     (d) The commission is exempt from all taxation in and by the compacting states.

     (e) The commission shall not pledge the credit of any compacting state, except by and with the appropriate legal authority of that compacting state.

     (f) The commission shall keep complete and accurate accounts of all the commission’s internal receipts, including grants and donations, and disbursements of all funds under the commission’s control. The internal financial accounts of the commission are subject to the accounting procedures established under the commission’s bylaws. The financial accounts and reports, including the system of internal controls and procedures of the commission, shall be audited annually by an independent certified public accountant. Upon the determination of the commission, but not less frequently than every three (3) years, the review of the independent auditor shall include a management and performance audit of the commission. The commission shall make an annual report, to the governor and legislature of the compacting states, including a report of the independent audit. The commission’s internal accounts are not confidential and such internal account materials may be shared with the commissioner of any compacting state upon request. However, work papers related to internal or independent audit and information regarding the privacy of individuals and proprietary information of insurers, including trade secrets, is confidential.

     (g) No compacting state shall have any claim to or ownership of any property held by or vested in the commission or to any commission funds held under the provisions of this compact.

As added by P.L.138-2005, SEC.3.