HB980: HB980 Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission; create

26 LC 59 0190 House Bill 980 By: Representatives Bonner of the 73rd, Stephens of the 164th, Petrea of the 166th, Roberts of the 52nd, Tran of the 80th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 12 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 commissions and other agencies, so as to create the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission; to2 provide for members and purpose of the commission; to provide f or annual reporting; to3 create a fund for commission expenses; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting4 laws; and for other purposes.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 SECTION 1.7 Chapter 12 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to commissions8 and other agencies, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:9 "ARTICLE 910 50-12-140.11 (a) There is established the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission which is created to12 advance bilateral trade and investment between Georgia and Irel and. The trade13 commission shall consist of 15 members to be appointed as follows:14 H. B. 980 - 1 - 26 LC 59 0190 (1) Four members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Hous e of Representatives,15 two of whom must be members of the House of Representatives;16 (2) Four members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, two of whom must17 be members of the Senate; and18 (3) Seven members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows:19 (A) The commissioner of economic development or his or her designee;20 (B) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee;21 (C) Two representatives of state institutions of higher education;22 (D) Two members representing Irish Americans or Irish American communities in23 Georgia; and24 (E) One representative of a Georgia business organization or a trade organization.25 (b) The members of the commission shall be appointed for terms of four years each and26 until their successors are appointed and qualified, except that the seven members appointed27 by the Governor shall serve initial terms of two years each, the four members appointed by28 the President of the Senate shall serve initial terms of three years each, and the four29 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall serve initial terms30 of four years each. Members may be reappointed and shall include:31 (1) The commissioner of economic development or his or her designee;32 (2) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee;33 (3) One representative of a state institution of higher education;34 (4) At least two members representing Irish Americans or Irish American communities35 in Georgia; and36 (5) One representative of a Georgia business organization or a trade organization.37 (c) All appointments shall be made no later than 90 days following the date of enactment38 of this article. A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same39 manner as the original appointment was made.40 H. B. 980 - 2 - 26 LC 59 0190 (d) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed41 for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limit of funds42 appropriated to the commission or otherwise made available to s uch commission for its43 purposes.44 (e) The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places and times it designates45 throughout the state.46 (f) The Governor shall designate a chairperson or cochairperso ns from among the47 members of the commission, who shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the48 Governor. The chairperson or cochairpersons, as appropriate, m ay appoint from among49 the commission members subcommittees or subcommittee chairpersons at their discretion. 50 A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction51 of the business of the commission.52 (g)(1) The purpose of the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission is to:53 (A) Advance bilateral trade and investment between Georgia and Ireland;54 (B) Initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to Georgia and Ireland;55 (C) Promote business and academic exchanges between Georgia and Ireland;56 (D) Encourage mutual economic support between Georgia and Ireland;57 (E) Encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure of Georgia and Ireland; and58 (F) Address such other issues as determined by the commission.59 (2) The commission shall report its findings, results, and rec ommendations to the60 Governor and the General Assembly pursuant to this article within one year of its initial61 organizational meeting and by February 1 of each succeeding year for the activities of the62 preceding calendar year. The report shall be in writing and include recommendations as63 are considered appropriate by the commission to effectuate its purpose, as provided by64 this Code section.65 (h)(1) The state treasurer shall establish a separate trust fu nd in the state treasury that66 shall be known as the Georgia-Ireland Trade Commission Fund, co nsisting of annual67 H. B. 980 - 3 - 26 LC 59 0190 appropriations by the General Assembly; public or private grant s, gifts, donations, or68 contributions; and moneys from any other sour ce, including loca l, state, or federal69 program funds dedicated to the fund.70 (2) The state treasurer shall invest the moneys held in the fu nd in the same manner in71 which state funds are invested as authorized by the State Depository Board pursuant to72 Article 3 of Chapter 17 of this title. Interest earned by the moneys held in the fund shall73 be accounted for separately and shall be credited to the fund t o be disbursed as other74 moneys in the fund.75 (3) Moneys held in the fund shall be expended solely as provided in this article."76 SECTION 2.77 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.78 H. B. 980 - 4 -