(1) In
addition to any other powers granted to the authority in this article, the authority
shall have the following powers:
(a) To have the duties, privileges, immunities, rights, liabilities, and
disabilities of a body corporate and political subdivision of the state;
(b) To have perpetual existence and succession;
(c) To adopt, have, and use a seal and to alter the same at its pleasure;
(d) To sue and be sued;
(e) To enter into any contract or agreement not inconsistent with this article
or the laws of this state and to authorize the executive director to enter into
contracts, execute all instruments, and do all things necessary or convenient in the
exercise of the powers granted in this article and to secure the payment of bonds;
(f) To borrow money and to issue bonds evidencing the same;
(g) To purchase, lease, trade, exchange, or otherwise acquire, maintain, hold,
improve, mortgage, lease, sell, and dispose of personal property, whether tangible
or intangible, or any interest therein; and to purchase, lease, trade, exchange, or
otherwise acquire real property or any interest therein and to maintain, hold,
improve, mortgage, lease, or otherwise transfer such real property, so long as such
transactions do not interfere with the mission of the authority as specified in
section 24-37.7-105;
(h) To acquire space, equipment, services, supplies, and insurance necessary
to carry out the purposes of this article;
(i) To deposit any moneys of the authority in any banking institution within
the state or in any depository authorized in section 24-75-603, and to appoint, for
the purpose of making such deposits, one or more persons to act as custodians of
the moneys of the authority, who shall give surety bonds in such amounts and form
and for such purposes as the board of directors requires;
(j) To contract for and to accept any gifts, grants, or loans of funds, property,
or any other aid in any form from the federal government, the state, any state
agency, or any other source, or any combination thereof, and to comply, subject to
the provisions of this article, with the terms and conditions thereof;
(k) To have and exercise all rights and powers necessary or incidental to or
implied from the specific powers granted in this article, which specific powers shall
not be considered as a limitation upon any power necessary or appropriate to carry
out the purposes and intent of this article;
(l) To fix the time and place or places at which its regular and special
meetings are to be held. Meetings shall be held on the call of the presiding officer,
but no less than six meetings shall be held annually.
(m) To adopt and from time to time amend or repeal bylaws and rules and
regulations consistent with the provisions of this article; except that article 4 of this
title shall not apply to the promulgation of any policies, procedures, rules, or
regulations of the authority;
(n) To appoint a treasurer of the board and such other officers as the board
of directors may determine and provide for their duties and terms of office;
(o) To appoint an executive director and such agents, employees, and
professional and business advisers as may from time to time be necessary in its
judgment to accomplish the purposes of this article, to fix the compensation of
such executive director, employees, agents, and advisers, and to establish the
powers and duties of all such agents, employees, and other persons contracting
with the authority;
(p) To waive, by such means as the authority deems appropriate, the
exemption from federal income taxation of interest on the authority's bonds, notes,
or other obligations provided by the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, or any other federal statute providing a similar exemption;
(q) To make and execute agreements, contracts, or other instruments
necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers and functions of the
authority under this article, including but not limited to contracts with any person,
firm, corporation, state agency, local government, or other entity. All state agencies
and local governments are hereby authorized to enter into and do all things
necessary to perform any such arrangement or contract with the authority.
(r) To arrange for guaranties or insurance of its bonds, notes, or other
obligations by the federal government or by any private insurer, and to pay any
premiums therefor.
(2) The authority shall not enter into a contract with a statewide portal
integrator unless the statewide portal integrator was chosen by the authority
pursuant to a request for proposals or other competitive procurement method,
including an invitation to negotiate, issued by the authority.
(3) Any current or pending action by the office of information technology
relating to a request for proposals for the statewide internet portal shall be void.
(4) State agencies shall coordinate and cooperate with the authority for
purposes of the delivery of electronic information, products, and services by the
authority.