S 8108: Establishes the New York state Ireland trade commission.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8108 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Devel- opment and Small Business AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish- ing the New York state Ireland trade commission The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new 2 article 10-A to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 10-A 4 NEW YORK STATE IRELAND TRADE COMMISSION 5 Section 227. New York state Ireland trade commission. 6 § 227. New York state Ireland trade commission. 1. (a) There is hereby 7 established the New York state Ireland trade commission. The commission 8 shall consist of twenty-three members, to be appointed as follows: 9 (i)(1) Four members of the senate shall be appointed by the temporary 10 president of the senate, two of whom shall have current or past 11 involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs or shall have 12 interest in the well-being of trade relations between the state and the 13 Island of Ireland, and two members of the senate shall be appointed by 14 the minority leader of the senate, both of whom shall have current or 15 past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs or shall 16 have interest in the well-being of trade relations between the state and 17 the Island of Ireland. 18 (2) Four members of the assembly shall be appointed by the speaker of 19 the assembly, two of whom shall have current or past involvement in 20 organizations that promote Irish affairs or shall have interest in the 21 well-being of trade relations between the state and the Island of 22 Ireland; and two members of the assembly shall be appointed by the 23 minority leader of the assembly, both of whom shall have current or past 24 involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs or shall have 25 interest in the well-being of trade relations between the state and the 26 Island of Ireland. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09298-01-5 
 S. 8108 2 1 (3) The legislative members of the commission shall serve during the 2 two-year legislative term in which the appointments are made. 3 (ii) Eleven members of the commission shall be appointed by the gover- 4 nor. Six members shall serve for a term of three years and five shall 5 serve for a term of four years. Such eleven members appointed by the 6 governor shall include: the commissioner or their designee; at least one 7 representative from a public institution of higher education; and at 8 least two public members representing Irish American communities. 9 (b) All appointments shall be made no later than ninety days following 10 the effective date of this section. A vacancy in the membership of the 11 commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appoint- 12 ment was made. 13 (c) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may 14 be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their 15 duties, within the limit of funds appropriated to the commission or 16 otherwise made available to it for its purposes. 17 (d) The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it 18 designates throughout the state. 19 2. The temporary president of the senate shall designate two co-chair- 20 persons from among their appointments, one each from the majority and 21 minority party; and the speaker of the assembly shall designate two 22 co-chairpersons from among their appointments, one each from the majori- 23 ty and minority party. A majority of the members of the commission shall 24 constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the commis- 25 sion. 26 3. (a) The purpose of the New York state Ireland trade commission 27 shall be to: 28 (i) advance bilateral trade and investment between the state and the 29 Island of Ireland; 30 (ii) initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to the 31 state and the Island of Ireland; 32 (iii) promote business and academic exchanges between the state and 33 the Island of Ireland; 34 (iv) encourage mutual economic support between the state and the 35 Island of Ireland; 36 (v) encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure of the state and 37 the Island of Ireland; and 38 (vi) address such other issues as determined by the commission. 39 (b) The commission shall report its findings, results, and recommenda- 40 tions to the governor, and the legislature, within one year of its 41 initial organizational meeting and by February first of each succeeding 42 year for the activities of the preceding calendar year. The report shall 43 be in writing and include recommendations as deemed appropriate by the 44 commission to effectuate its purpose, as provided by this section. 45 4. The New York state Ireland trade commission shall be authorized to 46 raise funds, through direct solicitation or other fundraising events, 47 alone, or with other groups, and accept gifts, grants, and bequests from 48 individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, and 49 public and private organizations and institutions, to defray the commis- 50 sion's administrative expenses and to carry out its purposes as set 51 forth in this section. The funds, gifts, grants, or bequests received 52 pursuant to this section shall be deposited in an account in the general 53 fund and allocated and annually appropriated to the department to defray 54 the commission's administrative expenses and carry out its purposes. 55 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.