Sec. 601.

(1) The commission shall:

(a) Maintain a principal office in the city of Lansing and other offices within the state as it considers necessary.

(b) Meet and exercise its powers at any place within the state.

(c) Appoint an executive director who shall be the chief executive officer of the department and exempt from civil service, and appoint necessary hearing examiners.

(d) Accept public grants, private gifts, bequests, or other amounts or payments.

(e) Prepare annually a comprehensive written report to the governor. The report may contain recommendations adopted by the commission for legislative or other action necessary to effectuate the purposes and policies of this act.

(f) Promulgate, amend, or repeal rules to carry out this act pursuant to Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, being sections 24.201 to 24.315 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

(g) Request the services of a department or agency of the state or a political subdivision of the state.

(h) Promote and cooperate with a public or governmental agency as in the commission's judgment will aid in effectuating the act and the state constitution of 1963.

(i) Establish and promulgate rules governing its relationship with local commissions, and establish criteria for certifying local commissions for the deferring of complaints.

(2) The commission may hold hearings, administer oaths, issue preliminary notices to witnesses to appear, compel through court authorization the attendance of witnesses and the production for examination of books, papers, or other records relating to matters before the commission, take the testimony of a person under oath, and issue appropriate orders. The commission may promulgate rules as to the issuance of preliminary notices to appear.

(3) A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum. A majority of the members is required to take action on matters not of a ministerial nature, but a majority of a quorum may deal with ministerial matters. A vacancy in the commission shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise the powers of the commission. The members of the commission shall receive a per diem compensation and shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The per diem compensation of the commission and the schedule for reimbursement of the expenses shall be established annually by the legislature.

(4) The business which the commission may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the commission held in compliance with Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.261 to 15.275 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. Public notice of the time, date, and place of the meeting shall be given in the manner required by Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976.

(5) A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the commission in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with Act No. 442 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.231 to 15.246 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

History: 1976, Act 453, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 446, Imd. Eff. Oct. 11, 1978 Admin Rule: R 37.1 et seq. and R 37.101 of the Michigan Administrative Code.