Connecticut SB 248: AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT-IRELAND TRADE COMMISSION.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 248
February Session, 2024 LCO No. 2065

Referred to Committee on COMMERCE

Introduced by:
(CE)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT-IRELAND 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-Ireland 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
who have current or past involvement in organizations that promote 6
Irish affairs or are interested in the well-being of trade relations between 7
the state and Ireland; 8
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who 9
have current or past involvement in organizations that promote Irish 10
affairs or are interested in the well-being of trade relations between the 11
state and Ireland; 12
(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of 13

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Representatives, who have current or past involvement in organizations 14
that promote Irish affairs or are interested in the well-being of trade 15
relations between the state and Ireland; 16
(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who have 17
current or past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs 18
or are interested in the well-being of trade relations between the state 19
and Ireland; 20
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 21
Representatives, who have current or past involvement in organizations 22
that promote Irish affairs or are interested in the well-being of trade 23
relations between the state and Ireland; 24
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who have 25
current or past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs 26
or are interested in the well-being of trade relations between the state 27
and Ireland; 28
(7) Seven persons appointed by the Governor, who have current or 29
past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs or are 30
interested in the well-being of trade relations between the state and 31
Ireland; 32
(8) A representative of a public institution of higher education in the 33
state, who shall be appointed by the Governor; 34
(9) A representative of a chamber of commerce in the state, who shall 35
be appointed by the Governor; and 36
(10) Two representatives of Irish-American communities in the state, 37
who shall be appointed by the Governor and shall not be members of 38
the same political party. 39
(c) Any member of the commission appointed under subdivisions (1) 40
to (6), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the 41
General Assembly. 42

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(d) All initial appointments to the commission shall be made not later 43
than October 1, 2024. Initial appointments made by the Governor, the 44
majority leader of the House of Representatives and the minority leader 45
of the House of Representatives shall terminate on September 30, 2027. 46
Initial appointments made by the speaker of the House of 47
Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority 48
leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the Senate shall terminate 49
on September 30, 2028. 50
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 51
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the commission 52
from among the members of the commission. Such chairpersons shall 53
schedule the first meeting of the commission, which shall be held not 54
later than November 1, 2024. 55
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 56
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce 57
shall serve as administrative staff of the commission. 58
(g) Appointed members of the commission shall serve for four-year 59
terms which shall commence on the date of appointment, except as 60
provided in subsection (d) of this section. Members shall continue to 61
serve until their successors are appointed. 62
(h) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any 63
vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the 64
balance of the unexpired term. 65
(i) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the 66
transaction of any business. 67
(j) The members of the commission shall serve without 68
compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be 69
reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of 70
their duties. 71
(k) The commission shall have the following powers and duties to: 72

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(1) Advance bilateral trade and investment between the state and 73
Ireland; (2) initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to the 74
state and Ireland; (3) promote business and academic exchanges 75
b