An administrative agency’s member and officer functions may be vested in interested persons and in private persons. An administrative agency functions on the universally accepted common-law rule that in the absence of a contrary statutory provision, a majority of a quorum constituted of a simple majority of a collective body is empowered to act for the agency.[i] Some state constitutions do not permit the Legislature to grant unrestricted delegations of legislative power, but a delegation is constitutional as long as the Legislature demonstrates standards or principles to confine and guide the agency’s power.[ii]
[i] Ftc v. Flotill Prods., 389 U.S. 179 (U.S. 1967)
[ii] R.I. Council 94 v. Carcieri, 2008 R.I. Super. LEXIS 99 (R.I. Super. Ct. 2008)