§ 5726. Rulemaking

(a) The Interstate Commission shall promulgate and publish rules in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purposes of the compact.

(b) Rulemaking shall occur pursuant to the criteria set forth in this section and the bylaws and rules adopted under it. Such rulemaking shall substantially conform to the principles of the "Model State Administrative Procedures Act," 1981 Act, Uniform Laws Annotated, Vol. 15, p.1 (2000), or such other administrative procedures act as the Interstate Commission deems appropriate, consistent with due process requirements under the United States and Vermont Constitutions. All rules and amendments shall become binding as of the date specified, as published with the final version of the rule as approved by the Commission.

(c) When promulgating a rule, the Interstate Commission shall, at a minimum:

(1) publish the proposed rule's entire text, stating the reason for the proposed rule;

(2) allow and invite any and all persons to submit written data, facts, opinions, and arguments, which information shall be added to the record and made publicly available;

(3) provide an opportunity for an informal hearing if petitioned by 10 or more persons; and

(4) promulgate a final rule and its effective date, if appropriate, based on input from state or local officials, or interested parties.

(d) The Interstate Commission shall allow any interested person to file a petition for judicial review of a rule not later than 60 days after the rule is promulgated. The petition shall be filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or in the Federal District Court where the Interstate Commission's principal office is located. If the court finds that the Interstate Commission's action is not supported by substantial evidence in the rulemaking record, the court shall hold the rule unlawful and set it aside. For purposes of this subsection, evidence is substantial if it would be considered substantial evidence under the Model State Administrative Procedures Act.

(e) If a majority of the legislatures of the compacting states rejects a rule, those states may, by enactment of a statute or resolution in the same manner used to adopt the compact, cause that such rule shall have no further force and effect in any compacting state.

(f) The existing rules governing the operation of the Interstate Compact on Juveniles superseded by this chapter shall be null and void 12 months after the second meeting of the Interstate Commission created by section 5723 of this title.

(g) Upon determination by the Interstate Commission that a state of emergency exists, it may promulgate an emergency rule which shall become effective immediately upon adoption, provided that the usual rulemaking procedures of this section shall be retroactively applied to said rule as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than 90 days after the effective date of the emergency rule. (Added 2009, No. 108 (Adj. Sess.), § 12, eff. July 1, 2010.)