143-64.2. Authority and duties of the State agency for federal surplus property.

(a) The State agency for federal surplus property is hereby authorized and empowered

(1) To acquire from the United States of America such property, including equipment, materials, books, or other supplies under the control of any department or agency of the United States of America as may be usable and necessary for educational purposes, public health purposes, or civil defense purposes, including research;

(2) To warehouse such property; and

(3) To distribute such property to tax-supported or nonprofit and tax-exempt (under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1954) medical institutions, hospitals, clinics, health centers, school systems, schools, colleges, universities, schools for the mentally retarded, schools for the physically handicapped, radio and television stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as educational radio or educational television stations, public libraries, civil defense organizations, and such other eligible donees within the State as are permitted to receive surplus property of the United States of America under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended.

(b) The State agency for federal surplus property may adopt rules necessary to carry out Part 2 of this Article.

(c) The State agency for federal surplus property may appoint advisory boards or committees as needed to ensure that Part 2 of this Article and the rules adopted under Part 2 of this Article are consistent with federal law concerning surplus property.

(d) The State agency for surplus property is authorized and empowered to take such action, make such expenditures and enter into such contracts, agreements and undertakings for and in the name of the State, require such reports and make such investigations as may be required by law or regulation of the United States of America in connection with the receipt, warehousing, and distribution of property received by the State agency for federal surplus property from the United States of America.

(e) The State agency for federal surplus property is authorized and empowered to act as clearinghouse of information for the public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies referred to in subsection (a) of this section, to locate property available for acquisition from the United States of America, to ascertain the terms and conditions under which such property may be obtained, to receive requests from the above-mentioned institutions and agencies and to transmit to them all available information in reference to such property, and to aid and assist such institutions and agencies in every way possible in the consummation or acquisition or transactions hereunder.

(f) The State agency for federal surplus property, in the administration of Part 2 of this Article, shall cooperate to the fullest extent consistent with the provisions of Part 2 of this Article, with the departments or agencies of the United States of America and shall make such reports in such form and containing such information as the United States of America or any of its departments or agencies may from time to time require, and it shall comply with the laws of the United States of America and the rules and regulations of any of the departments or agencies of the United States of America governing the allocation, transfer, use, or accounting for, property donable or donated to the State.