1. Membership. The working group must consist of 4 members who are Maine-based advocates for labor rights and just working conditions in the apparel, footwear and textile industry and 4 members who represent Maine-based businesses having business of the type that could be subject to the state purchasing code of conduct. Members shall serve without compensation. The State Purchasing Agent, or the agent's designee, shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the working group.

2. Convening of working group. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services shall convene the first meeting of the working group. At that meeting, the members shall elect a chair, who shall convene, set the agenda for and facilitate working group meetings.

3. Duties. The working group shall make recommendations to advise the Department of Administrative and Financial Services on the following issues:

A. The appropriateness of the creation and use of an independent consortium to monitor and investigate alleged violations of the state purchasing code of conduct;

B. The factors that should be considered in defining and ensuring the independence of the consortium;

C. The manner in which other local and state governments would become members of the consortium;

D. The fiscal, personnel and equipment resources that would need to be dedicated by the State to create, implement and administrate the use of a consortium; and

E. The process by which a consortium, if used by the State, would investigate and report on complaints brought under the state purchasing code of conduct law.

4. Reports; notice of meetings. The working group shall provide an interim report by September 1, 2006 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters and shall notify committee members of each meeting of the working group. A final report with recommendations, including, if necessary, recommended proposed legislation, that are supported by at least 5 of the 8