Connecticut SB 133: AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE STATE CONTRACTING STANDARDS BOARD CHAIRPERSON.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 133
February Session, 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT-INDIA TRADE
COMMISSION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a 1
Connecticut-India Trade Commission, which shall be part of the 2
Legislative Department. 3
(b) The commission shall consist of the following members: 4
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; 5
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; 6
(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of 7
Representatives; 8
(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 9
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 10
Representatives; 11
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 12
(7) Two members of the joint standing committee of the General 13
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, one of 14
whom shall be appointed by the Senate chairperson of such committee 15
and one of whom shall be appointed by the House chairperson of such 16

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committee; 17
(8) The ranking members of the joint standing committee of the 18
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, 19
or their designees; 20
(9) Three persons appointed by the Governor; 21
(10) A representative of a public institution of higher education in the 22
state, who shall be appointed by the Governor; 23
(11) A representative of a chamber of commerce in the state, who shall 24
be appointed by the Governor; 25
(12) Two representatives of Indian or Indian-American communities 26
in the state, who shall be appointed by the Governor and shall not be 27
members of the same political party; and 28
(13) Any additional members, as deemed necessary by the 29
chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 30
having cognizance of matters relating to commerce. 31
(c) The members of the commission shall each have current or past 32
involvement in organizations that promote Indian affairs or are 33
interested in the well-being of trade relations between the state and 34
India. 35
(d) Any member of the commission appointed under subdivisions (1) 36
to (6), inclusive, and (13) of subsection (b) of this section may be a 37
member of the General Assembly. 38
(e) (1) All initial appointments to the commission shall be made not 39
later than October 1, 2026. Initial appointments made by the Governor, 40
the majority leader of the House of Representatives and the minority 41
leader of the House of Representatives shall terminate on September 30, 42
2029. Initial appointments made by the speaker of the House of 43
Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority 44
leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the Senate shall terminate 45

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on September 30, 2030. The initial and subsequent terms of members 46
appointed by the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the 47
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce 48
shall be coterminous with the terms of the appointing authority for each 49
such member in accordance with the provisions of section 4-1a of the 50
general statutes. 51
(2) Appointed members of the commission shall serve for four-year 52
terms which shall commence on the date of appointment, except as 53
provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Members shall continue 54
to serve until their successors are appointed. 55
(f) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 56
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the commission 57
from among the members of the commission. Such chairpersons shall 58
schedule the first meeting of the commission, which shall be held not 59
later than November 1, 2026. 60
(g) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 61
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government 62
oversight shall serve as administrative staff of the commission. 63
(h) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any 64
vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the 65
balance of the unexpired term. 66
(i) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the 67
transaction of any business. 68
(j) The members of the commission shall serve without 69
compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be 70
reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of 71
their duties. 72
(k) The commission shall have the following powers and duties: (1) 73
To advance bilateral trade and investment between the state and India; 74
(2) to initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to the state 75

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and India; (3) to promote business and academic exchanges between the 76
state and India; (4) to encourage mutual economic sup