§ 26-5-101
               	 		
LexisNexis Practice Insights
      Understanding the Ability to Apportion Income for Corporations Operating in Arkansas
26-5-101.    Multistate Tax Compact.
    The  "Multistate Tax Compact" is enacted into law and entered into with all  jurisdictions legally joining therein, in the form substantially as  follows:
  
MULTISTATE TAX COMPACT
ARTICLE I  Purposes
The purposes of this compact are to:
      1.  Facilitate  proper determination of state and local tax liability of multistate  taxpayers, including the equitable apportionment of tax bases and  settlement of apportionment disputes;
      2.  Promote uniformity or compatibility in significant components of tax systems;
      3.  Facilitate taxpayer convenience and compliance in the filing of tax returns and in other phases of tax administration;
      4.  Avoid duplicative taxation.
ARTICLE II  Definitions
As used in this compact:
      1.  "State"  means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the  Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the  United States;
      2.  "Subdivision" means any governmental unit or special district of a state;
      3.  "Taxpayer"  means any corporation, partnership, firm, association, governmental  unit or agency, or person acting as a business entity in more than one  state;
      4.  "Income tax" means a  tax imposed on or measured by net income including any tax imposed on or  measured by an amount arrived at by deducting expenses from gross  income, one (1) or more forms of which expenses are not specifically and  directly related to particular transactions;
      5.  "Capital stock tax" means a tax measured in any way by the capital of a corporation considered in its entirety;
      6.  "Gross  receipts tax" means a tax, other than a sales tax, which is imposed on  or measured by the gross volume of business, in terms of gross receipts  or in other terms, and in the determination of which no deduction is  allowed which would constitute the tax on income tax;
      7.  "Sales  tax" imposed with respect to the transfer for a consideration of  ownership, possession, or custody of tangible personal property or the  rendering of services measured by the price of the tangible personal  property transferred or services rendered and which is required by state  or local law to be separately stated from the sales price by the  seller, or which is customarily separately stated from the sales price,  but does not include a tax imposed exclusively on the sale of a  specifically identified commodity or article or class of commodities or  articles;
      8.  "Use tax" means a  nonrecurring tax, other than a sales tax, which (a) is imposed on or  with respect to the exercise or enjoyment of any right or power over  tangible personal property incident to the ownership, possession, or  custody of that property or the leasing of that property from another  including any consumption, keeping, retention, or other use of tangible  personal property and (b) is complementary to a sales tax;
      9.  "Tax"  means an income tax, capital stock tax, gross receipts tax, sales tax,  use tax, and any other tax which has a multistate impact, except that  the provisions of Articles III, IV, and V of this compact shall apply  only to the taxes specifically designated therein, and the provisions of  Article IX of this compact shall apply only in respect to  determinations pursuant to Article IV.
ARTICLE III  Elements of Income Tax Laws
  
Taxpayer Option, State and Local Taxes.  1.  Any  taxpayer subject to an income tax whose income is subject to  apportionment and allocation for tax purposes pursuant to the laws of a  party state or pursuant to the laws of subdivisions in two (2) or more  party states may elect to apportion and allocate his income in the  manner provided by the laws of such state or by the laws of such states  and subdivisions without reference to this compact, or may elect to  apportion and allocate in accordance with Article IV. This election for  any tax year may be made in all party states or subdivisions thereof or  in any one or more of the party states or subdivisions thereof without  reference to the election made in the others. For the purposes of this  paragraph, taxes imposed by subdivisions shall be considered separately  from state taxes and the apportionment and allocation also may be  applied to the entire tax base. In no instance wherein Article IV is  employed for all subdivisions of a state may the sum of all  apportionments and allocations to subdivisions within a state be greater  than the apportionment and allocation that would be assignable to that  state if the apportionment or allocation were being made with respect to  a state income tax.
  
Taxpayer Option, Short Form.  2.  Each  party state or any subdivision thereof which imposes an income tax  shall provide by law that any taxpayer required to file a return, whose  only activities within the taxing jurisdiction consist of sales and do  not include owning or renting real estate or tangible personal property,  and whose dollar volume of gross sales made during the tax year within  the state or subdivision, as the case may be, is not in excess of one  hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) may elect to report and pay any tax  due on the basis of a percentage of such volume, and shall adopt rates  which shall produce a tax which reasonably approximates the tax  otherwise due. The Multistate Tax Commission, not more than once in five  years, may adjust the one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) figure in  order to reflect such changes as may occur in the real value of the  dollar, and such adjusted figure, upon adoption by the commission, shall  replace the one hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) figure specifically  provided herein. Each party state and subdivision thereof may make the  same election available to taxpayers additional to those specified in  this paragraph.
  
Coverage.  3.  Nothing in this article relates to the reporting or payment of any tax other than an income tax.
ARTICLE IV  Division of Income
1.  As used in this Article, unless the context otherwise requires:
      (a)  "Business  income" means income arising from transactions and activity in the  regular course of the taxpayer's trade or business and includes income  from tangible and intangible property if the acquisition, management,  and disposition of the property constitute integral parts of the  taxpayer's regular trade or business operation;
      (b)  "Commercial domicile" means the principal place from which the trade or business of the taxpayer is directed or managed;
      (c)  "Compensation" means wages, salaries, commissions, and any other form of remuneration paid to employees for personal services;
      (d)  [Repealed.]
      (e)  "Nonbusiness income" means all income other than business income;
      (f)  "Public  utility" means any business entity (1) which owns or operates any  plant, equipment, property, franchise, or license for the transmission  of communications, transportation of goods or persons, except by  pipeline, or the production, transmission, sale, delivery, or furnishing  of electricity, water, or steam; and (2) whose rates of charges for  goods or services have been established or approved by a federal, state,  or local government or governmental agency;
      (g)  "Sales" means all gross receipts of the taxpayer not allocated under paragraphs of this article;
      (h)  "State"  means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the  Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United  States, and any foreign country or political subdivision thereof;
      (i)  "This  state" means the state in which the relevant tax return is filed or, in  the case of application of this article to the apportionment and  allocation of income for local tax purposes, the subdivision or local  taxing district in which the relevant tax return is filed.
2.  Any  taxpayer having income from business activity which is taxable both  within and without this state, other than activity as a public utility  or the rendering of purely personal services by an individual, shall  allocate and apportion his net income as provided in this article. If a  taxpayer has income from business activity as a public utility but  derives the greater percentage of his income from activities subject to  this article, the taxpayer may elect to allocate and apportion his  entire net income as provided in this article.
3.  For  purposes of allocation and apportionment of income under this article, a  taxpayer is taxable in another state if (1) in that state he is subject  to a net income tax, a franchise tax measured by net income, a  franchise tax for the privilege of doing business, or a corporate stock  tax, or (2) that state has jurisdiction to subject the taxpayer to a net  income tax regardless of whether, in fact, the state does or does not.
4.  Rents  and royalties from real or tangible personal property, capital gains,  interest, dividends, or patent or copyright royalties, to the extent  that they constitute nonbusiness income, shall be allocated as provided  in paragraphs 5 through 8 of this article.
5.    (a)  Net rents and royalties from real property located in this state are allocable to this state.
      (b)  Net  rents and royalties from tangible personal property are allocable to  this state: (1) if and to the extent that the property is utilized in  this state, or (2) in their entirety if the taxpayer's commercial  domicile is in this state and the taxpayer is not organized under the  laws of or taxable in the state in which the property is utilized.
      (c)  The  extent of utilization of tangible personal property in a state is  determined by multiplying the rents and royalties by a fraction, the  numerator of which is the number of days of physical location of the  property in the state during the rental or royalty period in the taxable  year and the denominator of which is the number of days of physical  location of the property everywhere during all rental or royalty periods  in the taxable year. If the physical location of the property during  the rental or royalty period is unknown or unascertainable by the  taxpayer, tangible personal property is utilized in the state in which  the property was located at the time the rental or royalty payer  obtained possession.
6.    (a)  Capital gains and losses from sales of real property located in this state are allocable to this state.
      (b)  Capital  gains and losses from sales of tangible personal property are allocable  to this state if (1) the property had a situs in this state at the time  of the sale, or (2) the taxpayer's commercial domicile is in this state  and the taxpayer is not taxable in the state in which the property had a  situs.
      (c)  Capital gains and  losses from sales of intangible personal property are allocable to this  state if the taxpayer's commercial domicile is in this state.
7.  Interest and dividends are allocable to this state if the taxpayer's commercial domicile is in this state.
8.    (a)  Patent  and copyright royalties are allocable to this state: (1) if and to the  extent that the patent or copyright is utilized by the payer in this  state, or (2) if and to the extent that the patent copyright is utilized  by the payer in the state in which the taxpayer is not taxable and the  taxpayer's commercial domicile is in this state.
      (b)  A  patent is utilized in a state to the extent that it is employed in  production, fabrication, manufacturing, or other processing in the state  or to the extent that a patented product is produced in the state. If  the basis of receipts from patent royalties does not permit allocation  to states or if the accounting procedures do not reflect states of  utilization, the patent is utilized in the state in which the taxpayer's  commercial domicile is located.
      (c)  A  copyright is utilized in a state to the extent that printing or other  publication originates in the state. If the basis of receipts from  copyright royalties does not permit allocation to states or if the  accounting procedures do not reflect states of utilization, the  copyright is utilized in the state in which the taxpayer's commercial  domicile is located.
9.  All business  income shall be apportioned to this state by multiplying the income by a  fraction, the numerator of which is the property factor plus the  payroll factor plus double the sales factor, and the denominator of  which is four (4).
10.  The property  factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the average value of the  taxpayer's real and tangible personal property owned or rented and used  in this state during the tax period and the denominator of which is the  average value of all the taxpayer's real and tangible personal property  owned or rented and used during the tax period.
11.  Property  owned by the taxpayer is valued at its original cost. Property rented  by the taxpayer is valued at eight (8) times the net annual rental rate.  Net annual rental rate is the annual rental rate paid by the taxpayer  less any annual rental rate received by the taxpayer from sub-rentals.
12.  The  average value of property shall be determined by averaging the values  at the beginning and ending of the tax period, but the tax administrator  may require the averaging of monthly values during the tax period if  reasonably required to reflect properly the average value of the  taxpayer's property.
13.  The payroll  factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the total amount paid  in this state during the tax period by the taxpayer for compensation and  the denominator of which is the total compensation paid everywhere  during the tax period.
14.  Compensation is paid in this state if:
      (a)  The individual's service is performed entirely within the state;
      (b)  The  individual's service is performed both within and without the state,  but the service performed without the state is incidental to the  individual's service within the state; or
      (c)  Some  of the service is performed in the state and (1) the base of operations  or, if there is no base of operations, the place from which the service  is directed or controlled is in the state, or (2) the base of  operations or the place from which the service is directed or controlled  is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but  the individual's residence is in this state.
15.  The  sales factor is a fraction, the numerator of which is the total sales  of the taxpayer in this state during the tax period, and the denominator  of which is the total sales of the taxpayer everywhere during the tax  period.
16.  Sales of tangible personal property are in this state if:
      (a)  The  property is delivered or shipped to a purchaser, other than the United  States Government, within this state regardless of the f.o.b. point or  other conditions of the sale; or
      (b)  The  property is shipped from an office, store, warehouse, factory, or other  place of storage in this state and (1) the purchaser is the United  States Government or (2) the taxpayer is not taxable in the state of the  purchaser.
17.  Sales, other than sales of tangible personal property, are in this state if:
      (a)  The income-producing activity is performed in this state; or
      (b)  The  income-producing activity is performed both in and outside this state  and a greater proportion of the income-producing activity is performed  in this state than in any other state, based on costs of performance.
18.  If  the allocation and apportionment provisions of this Article do not  fairly represent the extent of the taxpayer's business activity in this  state, the taxpayer may petition for or the tax administrator may  require, in respect to all or any part of the taxpayer's business  activity, if reasonable:
      (a)  Separate accounting;
      (b)  The exclusion of any one (1) or more of the factors;
      (c)  The  inclusion of one (1) or more additional factors which will fairly  represent the taxpayer's business activity in this state; or
      (d)  The employment of any other method to effectuate an equitable allocation and apportionment of the taxpayer's income.
ARTICLE V  Elements of Sales and Use Tax Laws
  
Tax Credit.  1.  Each  purchaser liable for a use tax on tangible personal property shall be  entitled to full credit for the combined amount or amounts of legally  imposed sales or use taxes paid by him with respect to the same property  to another state and any subdivision thereof. The credit shall be  applied first against the amount of any use tax due the state, and any  unused portion of the credit shall then be applied against the amount of  any use tax due a subdivision. For purposes of applying this credit by  other states to Arkansas residents, the term "gross receipts tax" as  applied to Arkansas residents by Title 26, Chapter 52 of this Code,  shall be synonymous with the term "sales tax" as used by the state  applying such credit.
  
Exemption Certificates, Vendors May Rely.  2.  Whenever  a vendor receives and accepts in good faith from a purchaser a resale  or other exemption certificate or other written evidence of exemption  authorized by the appropriate state or subdivision taxing authority, the  vendor shall be relieved of liability for a sales or use tax with  respect to the transaction.
ARTICLE VI  The Commission
  
Organization and Management.  1.    (a)  The  Multistate Tax Commission is hereby established. It shall be composed  of one (1) "member" from each party state who shall be the head of the  state agency charged with the administration of the types of taxes to  which this compact applies. If there is more than one (1) such agency  the state shall provide by law for the selection of the commission  member from the heads of the relevant agencies. State law may provide  that a member of the commission be represented by an alternate but only  if there is on file with the commission written notification of the  designation and identity of the alternate. The attorney general of each  party state or his designee, or other counsel if the laws of the party  state specifically provide, shall be entitled to attend the meetings of  the commission, but shall not vote. Such attorneys general, designees,  or other counsel shall receive all notices of meetings required under  paragraph 1(e) of this article.
            (b)  Each  party state shall provide by law for the selection of representatives  from its subdivisions affected by this compact to consult with the  commission member from that state.
            (c)  Each  member shall be entitled to one (1) vote. The commission shall not act  unless a majority of the members are present, and no action shall be  binding unless approved by a majority of the total number of members.
            (d)  The commission shall adopt an official seal to be used as it may provide.
            (e)  The  commission shall hold an annual meeting and such other regular meetings  as its bylaws may provide and such special meetings as its executive  committee may determine. The commission bylaws shall specify the dates  of the annual and any other regular meetings, and shall provide for the  giving of notice of annual, regular, and special meetings. Notices of  special meetings shall include the reasons therefor and an agenda of the  items to be considered.
            (f)  The  commission shall elect annually, from among its members, a chairman, a  vice-chairman, and a treasurer. The commission shall appoint an  executive director who shall serve at its pleasure, and it shall fix his  duties and compensation. The executive director shall be secretary of  the commission. The commission shall make provision for the bonding of  such of its officers and employees as it may deem appropriate.
            (g)  Irrespective  of the civil service, personnel, or other merit system laws of any  party state, the executive director shall appoint or discharge such  personnel as may be necessary for the performance of the functions of  the commission and shall fix their duties and compensation. The  commission bylaws shall provide for personnel policies and programs.
            (h)  The  commission may borrow, accept, or contract for the services of  personnel from any state, the United States, or any other governmental  entity.
            (i)  The commission may  accept for any of its purposes and functions any and all donations and  grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services,  conditional or otherwise, from any governmental entity, and may utilize  and dispose of the same.
            (j)  The commission may establish one or more offices for the transacting of its business.
            (k)  The  commission shall adopt bylaws for the conduct of its business. The  commission shall publish its bylaws in convenient form, and shall file a  copy of the bylaws and any amendments thereto with the appropriate  agency or officer in each of the party states.
            (l)  The  commission annually shall make to the governor and legislature of each  party state a report covering its activities for the preceding year. Any  donation or grant accepted by the commission or services borrowed shall  be reported in the annual report of the commission, and shall include  the nature, amount, and conditions, if any, of the donation, gift, grant  or services borrowed and the identity of the donor or lender. The  commission may make additional reports as it may deem desirable.
  
Committees.  2.    (a)  To  assist in the conduct of its business when the full commission is not  meeting, the commission shall have an executive committee of seven (7)  members, including the chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer and four (4)  other members elected annually by the commission. The executive  committee, subject to the provisions of this compact and consistent with  the policies of the commission, shall function as provided in the  bylaws of the commission.
            (b)  The  commission may establish advisory and technical committees, membership  on which may include private persons and public officials, in furthering  any of its activities. Such committees may consider any matter of  concern to the commission, including problems of special interest to any  party state and problems dealing with particular types of taxes.
            (c)  The commission may establish such additional committees as its bylaws may provide.
  
Powers.  3.  In addition to powers conferred elsewhere in this compact, the commission shall have power to:
            (a)  Study state and local tax systems and particular types of state and local taxes;
            (b)  Develop  and recommend proposals for an increase in uniformity or compatibility  of state and local tax laws with a view toward encouraging the  simplification and improvement of state and local tax law and  administration;
            (c)  Compile  and publish information as in its judgment would assist the party states  in implementation of the compact and taxpayers in complying with state  and local tax laws;
            (d)  Do all things necessary and incidental to the administration of its functions pursuant to this compact.
  
Finance.  4.    (a)  The  commission shall submit to the Governor or designated officer or  officers of each party state a budget of its estimated expenditures for  such period as may be required by the laws of that state for  presentation to the legislature thereof.
            (b)  Each  of the commission's budgets of estimated expenditures shall contain  specific recommendations of the amounts to be appropriated by each of  the party states. The total amount of appropriations requested under any  such budget shall be apportioned among the party states as follows:  one-tenth (1/10) in equal shares; and the remainder in proportion to the  amount of revenue collected by each party state and its subdivisions  from income taxes, capital stock taxes, gross receipts taxes, and sales  and use taxes. In determining such amounts, the commission shall employ  such available public sources of information as, in its judgment,  present the most equitable and accurate comparisons among the party  states. Each of the commission's budgets of estimated expenditures and  requests for appropriations shall indicate the sources used in obtaining  information employed in applying the formula contained in this  paragraph.
            (c)  The commission  shall not pledge the credit of any party state. The commission may meet  any of its obligations in whole or in part with funds available to it  under paragraph 1(i) of this article; provided that the commission takes  specific action setting aside such funds prior to incurring any  obligation to be met in whole or in part in such manner. Except where  the commission makes use of funds available to it under paragraph 1(i),  the commission shall not incur any obligation prior to the allotment of  funds by the party states adequate to meet the same.
            (d)  The  commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and  disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the commission shall be  subject to the audit and accounting procedures established under its  bylaws. All receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the  commission shall be audited yearly by a certified or licensed public  accountant and the report of the audit shall be included in and become  part of the annual report of the commission.
            (e)  The  accounts of the commission shall be open at any reasonable time for  inspection by duly constituted officers of the party states and by any  persons authorized by the commission.
            (f)  Nothing  contained in this article shall be construed to prevent commission  compliance with laws relating to audit or inspection of accounts by or  on behalf of any government contributing to the support of the  commission.
ARTICLE VII  Uniform Regulations and Forms
1.  Whenever  any two (2) or more party states, or subdivisions of party states, have  uniform or similar provisions of law relating to an income tax, capital  stock tax, gross receipts tax, sales or use tax, the commission may  adopt uniform regulations for any phase of the administration of such  law, including assertion of jurisdiction to tax, or prescribing uniform  tax forms. The commission may also act with respect to the provisions of  Article IV of this compact.
2.  Prior to the adoption of any regulation, the commission shall:
      (a)  As  provided in its bylaws, hold at least one (1) public hearing on due  notice to all affected party states and subdivisions thereof and to all  taxpayers and other persons who have made timely request of the  commission for advance notice of its regulation-making proceedings.
      (b)  Afford  all affected party states and subdivisions and interested persons an  opportunity to submit relevant written data and views, which shall be  considered fully by the commission.
3.  The  commission shall submit any regulations adopted by it to the  appropriate officials of all party states and subdivisions to which they  might apply. Each such state and subdivision shall consider any such  regulation for adoption in accordance with its own laws and procedures.
ARTICLE VIII  Interstate Audits
1.  This article shall be in force only in those party states that specifically provide therefor by statute.
2.  Any  party state or subdivision thereof desiring to make or participate in  an audit of any accounts, books, papers, records, or other documents may  request the commission to perform the audit on its behalf. In  responding to the request, the commission shall have access to and may  examine, at any reasonable time, such accounts, books, papers, records,  and other documents and any relevant property or stock of merchandise.  The commission may enter into agreements with party states or their  subdivisions for assistance in performance of the audit. The commission  shall make charges, to be paid by the state or local government or  governments for which it performs the service, for any audits performed  by it in order to reimburse itself for the actual costs incurred in  making the audit.
3.  The commission  may require the attendance of any person within the state where it is  conducting an audit or part thereof at a time and place fixed by it  within such state for the purpose of giving testimony with respect to  any account, book, paper, document, other record, property, or stock of  merchandise being examined in connection with the audit. If the person  is not within the jurisdiction, he may be required to attend for such  purpose at any time and place fixed by the commission within the state  of which he is a resident, provided that such state has adopted this  article.
4.  The commission may apply  to any court having power to issue compulsory process for orders in aid  of its powers and responsibilities pursuant to this article and any and  all such courts shall have jurisdiction to issue such orders. Failure  of any person to obey any such order shall be punishable as contempt of  the issuing court. If the party or subject matter on account of which  the commission seeks an order is within the jurisdiction of the court to  which application is made, such application may be to a court in the  state or subdivision on behalf of which the audit is being made or a  court in the state in which the object of the order being sought is  situated. The provisions of this paragraph apply only to courts in a  state that has adopted this article.
5.  The  commission may decline to perform any audit requested if it finds that  its available personnel or other resources are insufficient for the  purpose or that, in the terms requested, the audit is impracticable of  satisfactory performance. If the commission, on the basis of its  experience, has reason to believe that an audit of a particular  taxpayer, either at a particular time or on a particular schedule, would  be of interest to a number of party states or their subdivisions, it  may offer to make the audit or audits, the offer to be contingent on  sufficient participation therein as determined by the commission.
6.  Information  obtained by any audit pursuant to this article shall be confidential  and available only for tax purposes to party states, their subdivisions,  or the United States. Availability of information shall be in  accordance with the laws of the states for subdivisions on whose account  the commission performs the audit, and only through the appropriate  agencies or officers of such states or subdivisions. Nothing in this  article shall be construed to require any taxpayer to keep records for  any period not otherwise required by law.
7.  Other  arrangements made or authorized pursuant to law for cooperative audit  by or on behalf of the party states or any of their subdivisions are not  superseded or invalidated by this article.
8.  In no event shall the commission make any charge against a taxpayer for an audit.
9.  As  used in this article, "tax," in addition to the meaning ascribed to it  in Article II, means any tax or license fee imposed in whole or in part  for revenue purposes.
ARTICLE IX  Arbitration
1.  Whenever  the commission finds a need for settling disputes concerning  apportionments and allocations by arbitration, it may adopt a regulation  placing this article in effect, notwithstanding the provisions of  Article VII.
2.  The commission shall  select and maintain an arbitration panel composed of officers and  employees of state and local governments and private persons who shall  be knowledgeable and experienced in matters of tax law and  administration.
3.  Whenever a  taxpayer who has elected to employ Article IV, or whenever the laws of  the party state or subdivision thereof are substantially identical with  the relevant provisions of Article IV, the taxpayer, by written notice  to the commission and to each party state or subdivision thereof that  would be affected, may secure arbitration of an apportionment or  allocation, if he is dissatisfied with the final administrative  determination of the tax agency of the state or subdivision with respect  thereto on the ground that it would subject him to double or multiple  taxation by two (2) or more party states or subdivisions thereof. Each  party state and subdivision thereof hereby consents to the arbitration  as provided herein, and agrees to be bound thereby.
4.  The  arbitration board shall be composed of one (1) person selected by the  taxpayer, one (1) by the agency or agencies involved, and one (1) member  of the commission's arbitration panel. If the agencies involved are  unable to agree on the person to be selected by them, such person shall  be selected by lot from the total membership of the arbitration panel.  The two (2) persons selected for the board in the manner provided by the  foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall jointly select the third  member of the board. If they are unable to agree on the selection, the  third member shall be selected by lot from among the total membership of  the arbitration panel. No member of a board selected by lot shall be  qualified to serve if he is an officer or employee or is otherwise  affiliated with any party to the arbitration proceeding. Residence  within the jurisdiction of a party to the arbitration proceeding shall  not constitute affiliation within the meaning of this paragraph.
5.  The  board may sit in any state or subdivision party to the proceeding, in  the state of the taxpayer's incorporation, residence, or domicile, in  any state where the taxpayer does business, or in any place that it  finds most appropriate for gaining access to evidence relevant to the  matter before it.
6.  The board shall  give due notice of the times and places of its hearings. The parties  shall be entitled to be heard, to present evidence, and to examine and  cross-examine witnesses. The board shall act by majority vote.
7.  The  board shall have power to administer oaths, take testimony, subpoena  and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of accounts,  books, papers, records, and other documents, and issue commissions to  take testimony. Subpoenas may be signed by any member of the board. In  case of failure to obey a subpoena, and upon application by the board,  any judge of a court of competent jurisdiction of the state in which the  board is sitting or in which the person to whom the subpoena is  directed may be found may make an order requiring compliance with the  subpoena, and the court may punish failure to obey the order as a  contempt. The provisions of this paragraph apply only in states that  have adopted this article.
8.  Unless  the parties otherwise agree the expenses and other costs of the  arbitration shall be assessed and allocated among the parties by the  board in such manner as it may determine. The commission shall fix a  schedule of compensation for members of arbitration boards and of other  allowable expenses and costs. No officer or employee of a state or local  government who serves as a member of a board shall be entitled to  compensation therefor unless he is required on account of his service to  forego the regular compensation attaching to his public employment, but  any such board member shall be entitled to expenses.
9.  The  board shall determine the disputed apportionment or allocation and any  matters necessary thereto. The determinations of the board shall be  final for purposes of making the apportionment or allocation, but for no  other purpose.
10.  The board shall  file with the commission and with each tax agency represented in the  proceeding: the determination of the board; the board's written  statement of its reasons therefor; the record of the board's  proceedings; and any other documents required by the arbitration rules  of the commission to be filed.
11.  The commission shall publish the determinations of boards together with the statements of the reasons therefor.
12.  The  commission shall adopt and publish rules of procedure and practice and  shall file a copy of such rules and of any amendment thereto with the  appropriate agency or officer in each of the party states.
13.  Nothing  contained herein shall prevent at any time a written compromise of any  matter or matters in dispute, if otherwise lawful, by the parties to the  arbitration proceeding.
ARTICLE X  Entry Into Force and Withdrawal
1.  This  compact shall enter into force when enacted into law by any seven (7)  states. Thereafter, this compact shall become effective as to any other  state upon its enactment thereof. The commission shall arrange for  notification of all party states whenever there is a new enactment of  the compact.
2.  Any party state may  withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the same. No  withdrawal shall affect any liability already incurred by or chargeable  to a party state prior to the time of such withdrawal.
3.  No  proceeding commenced before an arbitration board prior to the  withdrawal of a state and to which the withdrawing state or any  subdivision thereof is a party shall be discontinued or terminated by  the withdrawal, nor shall the board thereby lose jurisdiction over any  of the parties to the proceeding necessary to make a binding  determination therein.
ARTICLE XI  Effect on Other Laws and Jurisdiction
Nothing in this compact shall be construed to:
      (a)  Affect  the power of any state or subdivision thereof to fix rates of taxation,  except that a party state shall be obligated to implement Article III 2  of this compact.
      (b)  Apply to  any tax or fixed fee imposed for the registration of a motor vehicle or  any tax on motor fuel, other than a sales tax; provided that the  definition of "tax" in Article VIII 9 may apply for the purposes of that  article and the commission's powers of study and recommendation  pursuant to Article VI 3 may apply.
      (c)  Withdraw  or limit the jurisdiction of any state or local court or administrative  officer or body with respect to any person, corporation, or other  entity or subject matter, except to the extent that such jurisdiction is  expressly conferred by or pursuant to this compact upon another agency  or body.
      (d)  Supersede or limit the jurisdiction of any court of the United States.
ARTICLE XII  Construction and Severability
This  compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes  thereof. The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any  phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is declared to be  contrary to the constitution of any state or of the United States or  the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or  circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this  compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person,  or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be  held contrary to the constitution of any state participating therein,  the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining  party states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to  all severable matters.