MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                 1079

REQUIRED TO ENABLE ITS OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENTAL
AGENCIES TO ACCOMPLISH EFFECTIVELY THE PURPOSES OF
THIS COMPACT.

15.18.       AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS.
—AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THIS COMPACT MAY BE
ADOPTED BY LEGISLATIVE ACTION OF ANY OF THE
SIGNATORIES CONCURRED IN BY ALL OF THE OTHERS.

15.19.    CONSTRUCTION. —THE ENACTMENT OF THIS
COMPACT BY THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL NOT
BE CONSTRUED AS INDICATING AN INTENT ON THE PART OF
THE CONGRESS TO OCCUPY THE FIELD IN WHICH ANY PART OF
THIS COMPACT OPERATES TO THE EXCLUSION OF INDIVIDUAL
STATE LAWS ON THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER. IT IS THE
INTENT OF THE CONGRESS AND OF THE LEGISLATURES OF THE
OTHER SIGNATORIES THAT NO PROVISION OF THIS COMPACT
SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS INVALIDATING ANY PROVISION OF
LAW OF ANY SIGNATORY UNLESS SUCH PROVISION IS
INCONSISTENT WITH ANY OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS COMPACT
OR OF ANY PROVISION THEREOF; AND THAT NOTHING IN THIS
COMPACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO MODIFY OR QUALIFY THE
AUTHORITY OF ANY SIGNATORY TO ENACT OR ENFORCE
LEGISLATION OR REGULATIONS RELATING TO ANY SUBJECT
MATTER OF THIS COMPACT WHICH ARE WITHIN ITS
JURISDICTION AND NOT INCONSISTENT WITH ANY PURPOSE OR
PROVISION OF THIS COMPACT.

15.20.    SEVERABILITY. —IF ANY WORD, PHRASE,
CLAUSE, SENTENCE OR PROVISION OF THIS COMPACT OR THE
APPLICATION THEREOF TO ANY PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS
HELD INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF THE COMPACT AND THE
APPLICATION OF THE WORD, PHRASE, CLAUSE, SENTENCE OR
PROVISION TO OTHER PERSONS NOT SIMILARLY SITUATED OR
TO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL NOT BE AFFECTED THEREBY.

15.21.    EFFECTIVE DATE; EXECUTION. —THIS
COMPACT SHALL BECOME BINDING AND EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30)
DAYS AFTER ITS ENACTMENT BY THE LEGISLATURES OF
MARYLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA,
AND BY THE CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES AND
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE COMPACT SHALL BE
SIGNED AND SEALED IN SEVEN (7) IDENTICAL ORIGINAL
COPIES BY THE RESPECTIVE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THE
SIGNATORIES. ONE SUCH COPY SHALL BE FILED WITH THE
SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE SIGNATORIES OR IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE SIGNATORY IN WHICH THE FILING IS
MADE, AND ONE COPY SHALL BE FILED AND RETAINED IN THE
ARCHIVES OF THE COMMISSION UPON ITS ORGANIZATION.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This compact presently appears as