(a) There is hereby established the "New England State Police Administrators' Conference," hereinafter called the "Conference," to be composed of the administrative head of the state police department of each party state.

(b) If authorized by the laws of his or her party state, the administrative head of the state police department of a party state may provide for the discharge of his duties and the performance of his or her functions on the conference, for periods none of which shall exceed 15 days, by an alternate. No such alternate shall be entitled to serve unless notification of his or her identity and appointment shall have been given to the conference in such form as the conference may require.

(c) An alternate serving pursuant to subdivision (b) of this article shall be selected only from among the officers and employees of the state police department, the head of which such alternate is to represent.

(d) The members of the conference shall be entitled to one vote each. No action of the conference shall be binding unless taken at a meeting at which a majority of the total number of votes of the conference are cast in favor thereof. Action of the conference shall be only at a meeting at which a majority of the members of the conference, or their alternates, are present.

(e) The conference shall have a seal.

(f) The conference shall elect annually, from among its members, a chair, (who shall not be eligible to succeed himself or herself), a vice chair and treasurer. The conference shall appoint an executive secretary and fix his or her duties and compensation. Such executive secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the conference, and together with the treasurer shall be bonded in such amount as the conference shall determine. The executive secretary also shall serve as general secretary of the conference.

(g) Irrespective of the civil service, personnel or other merit system laws of any of the party states, the executive secretary, subject to the direction of the conference, shall appoint, remove or discharge such personnel as may be necessary for the performance of the conference functions, and shall fix the duties and compensation of such personnel.

(h) The conference may establish and maintain independently, or in conjunction with any one or more of the party states, a suitable retirement system for its full time employees. Employees of the conference shall be eligible for Social Security coverage in respect of old age and survivor's insurance provided that the conference takes such steps as may be necessary pursuant to the laws of the United States, to participate in such program of insurance as a governmental agency or unit. The conference may establish and maintain or participate in such additional programs of employee benefits as may be appropriate. Employment by the conference of a retired officer or employee of a party state shall not affect the pension or other retirement-connected benefits paid to such officer or employee by a party state.

(i) The conference may borrow, accept or contract for the services of personnel from any party state, the United States, or any subdivision or agency of the aforementioned governments, or from any agency of two or more of the party states or their subdivisions.

(j) The conference may accept for any of its purposes and functions under this compact any and all donations, 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 or corporation, and may receive, utilize and dispose of the same. The conference shall publish in its annual report the terms, conditions, character and amount of any resources accepted by it pursuant hereto together with the identity of the donor.

(k) The conference may establish and maintain such facilities as may be necessary for the transacting of its business. The conference may acquire, hold and convey real and personal property and any interest therein.

(l) The conference shall adopt bylaws for the conduct of its business and shall have the power to amend and rescind these bylaws. The conference 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. The bylaws shall provide for appropriate notice of the conference members of all conference meetings.

(m) [Repealed.]  (Added 1967, No. 288 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 15, 1968; amended 2003, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 294v.)