| Chapter 337 |
| 2024 -- S 2508 Enacted 06/25/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE CORPORATION -- RHODE ISLAND -- IRELAND TRADE COMMISSION |
Introduced By: Senators Lawson, and Pearson |
| Date Introduced: March 01, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 42-64 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Commerce |
| Corporation" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 42-64-42. Rhode Island-Ireland trade commission. |
| (a) There is hereby established the Rhode Island-Ireland trade commission. The |
| commission is advisory and shall consist of seven (7) members to be appointed as follows: |
| (1) Two (2) members who shall be appointed by the president of the senate, shall have |
| knowledge of or current or past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs, or shall |
| have interest in the well-being of trade relations between Rhode Island and Ireland; and two (2) |
| members who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house, shall have knowledge of or current |
| or past involvement in organizations that promote Irish affairs, or shall have interest in the well- |
| being of trade relations between Rhode Island and Ireland. The members of the commission |
| appointed by the speaker of the house shall serve for two (2) years or until their successor is |
| appointed, and the members appointed by the president of the senate shall serve for three (3) years |
| or until their successor is appointed, whichever period is later. |
| (2) Three (3) members of the commission shall be appointed by the governor, and shall |
| serve for a term of four (4) years or until their successor is appointed. The members appointed shall |
| include one representative from a public institution of higher education; one representative from |
| the Rhode Island chamber of commerce, or its successor organization; and one public member who |
| shall represent Irish-American communities or interests. |
| (3) All appointments shall be made no later than July 1, 2025. A vacancy in the membership |
| of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. |
| (b) Compensation, meetings. |
| (1) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation; provided, however, the |
| members may be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, |
| within the limit of funds appropriated to the commission or otherwise made available to it for its |
| purposes. |
| (2) The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it designates throughout the |
| state. |
| (3) The commission shall elect a chair from among its members. The chair may appoint |
| from among the commission members subcommittees and subcommittee chairs at the chair's |
| discretion. |
| (4) The commission shall keep records of all proceedings which shall be public and open |
| to inspection,; shall adopt a seal,; and shall exercise and perform the duties prescribed by this |
| section. |
| (5) A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the |
| transaction of the business of the commission. |
| (c) The commission shall provide recommendations and information to the Rhode Island |
| commerce corporation established pursuant to ยง 42-64-4 and the director of the John H. Chafee |
| Center for International Business to promote, enhance and advance the relationship and trade with |
| Ireland. |
| (d) Role and responsibility. The role and responsibility of the Rhode Island-Ireland trade |
| commission shall be to study, research, and advance analyses, proposals, and recommendations |
| for: |
| (1) Bilateral trade and investments between Rhode Island and Ireland; |
| (2) Policy issues of mutual interest to Rhode Island and Ireland; |
| (3) Promoting business and academic exchanges between Rhode Island and Ireland; |
| (4) Mutual economic support between Rhode Island and Ireland; |
| (5) Mutual investments in the infrastructure of Rhode Island and Ireland; |
| (6) Helping communities in Ireland and Rhode Island through the creation of educational |
| and economic opportunities; and |
| (7) Such other issues as requested by the Rhode Island commerce corporation. |
| (e) Reports. |
| The commission shall report its findings, results, and recommendations to the governor, |
| the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and the secretary of commerce with a copy to |
| the director of the John H. Chafee Center for International Business, within one year of its initial |
| organizational meeting and by February 1 of each succeeding year for the activities of the preceding |
| calendar year. The report shall be in writing and include recommendations as deemed appropriate |
| by the commission and shall include a financial statement of all funds received and expended |
| pursuant to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section. |
| (f) Funds. |
| The Rhode Island-Ireland trade commission shall be authorized to raise funds, through |
| direct solicitation or other fundraising events, alone, or with other groups, and accept gifts, grants, |
| and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, and public and |
| private organizations and institutions, to defray the commission's administrative expenses and to |
| achieve its purposes. |
| (g) All meetings of the commission shall comply with the provisions of chapter 46 of this |
| title 42 ("open meetings"). |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005211 |
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