Section 71.2 - Powers and duties of committeeThe committee shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To establish and operate a legislative data processing center incorporating a system or systems which will be capable of storing and retrieving all of the financial, factual, procedural and legal information necessary to serve all of the committees, officers and agencies of the General Assembly.(1.1) With the approval of the Senate Committee on Management Operations and the Bi-partisan Management Committee of the House of Representatives, to provide access to public legislative information within the computer information systems operated by the committee to persons outside the General Assembly as the committee deems appropriate. Such access will be provided in the manner approved by the committee, the Senate Committee on Management Operations and the Bi-partisan Management Committee of the House of Representatives. No information residing in the computer information systems operated by the committee shall be released or disseminated by the committee or its employes to persons outside the General Assembly without the approval of:(i) The Senate Committee on Management Operations if the document or information was originated, prepared, generated or maintained in whole or in part by the Senate.(ii) The Bi-partisan Management Committee of the House of Representatives if the document or information was originated, prepared, generated or maintained in whole or in part by the House of Representatives.(1.2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1.1), to provide access to information relating to bills, legislative histories and session calendars to the Governor's Office, the Office of Attorney General, the Auditor General, the State Treasurer, the heads of other departments and such other offices within State government as the committee, with the approval of the Senate Committee on Management Operations and the Bi-partisan Management Committee of the House of Representatives, shall determine.(2) To appoint and employ an executive director, who shall be the chief executive officer of the committee, and such other personnel as the committee may deem necessary in the performance of its duties and to fix the compensation of such executive director and other personnel.(3) To enter into contracts for the services of such professional, expert or technical services as the committee may deem necessary in the performance of its duties.(4) To purchase or rent such equipment and supplies as the committee may deem necessary in the performance of its duties.(5) To select its own chairman, vice-chairman and such other officers as the committee may deem necessary in the performance of its duties.(6) To make such rules and regulations as the committee may deem necessary to properly carry out the purpose of the most efficient use of a legislative data processing system.1968, Dec. 10, P.L. 1158, No. 365, § 2. Amended 1998, May 7, P.L. 352, No. 55, § 1, imd. effective.