Colorado Ireland Trade Commission

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED HOUSE BILL 26-1118 LLS NO. 26-0447.01 Jacob Bennington x2371 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Hartsook and Stewart R., SENATE SPONSORSHIP Frizell and Snyder, House Committees Senate Committees State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING THE CREATION OF THE COLORADO-IRELAND INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION.

Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.) The bill creates the Colorado-Ireland trade commission (commission) in the Colorado legislature. The commission is comprised of 11 members. Members of the commission serve without compensation and do not receive reimbursement for expenses incurred in furtherance of the commission's responsibilities. Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

The commission is required to: ! Meet twice per year, with a quorum of at least 6 members; ! Annually submit a report to the members of the general assembly and the governor with the number of times the commission met in the preceding 12 months, the minutes of commission meetings, and any recommendations or requests that may assist the commission's work; and ! Work to advance bilateral economic interests and investments between Colorado and Ireland.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add part 26 to article 2 of title 2 as follows:

PART 26 COLORADO-IRELAND INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

2-2-2601. Colorado-Ireland international trade commission creation - membership - duties - report.

(1) Commission created. THERE IS CREATED THE COLORADO- IRELAND INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION, REFERRED TO IN THIS SECTION AS THE "COMMISSION", IN THE COLORADO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

(2) (a) Membership. THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ELEVEN MEMBERS:

(I) EIGHT VOTING MEMBERS APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS:

(A) TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE, WITH ONE MEMBER OF THE MAJORITY PARTY APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND ONE MEMBER OF THE MINORITY PARTY APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE;

(B) TWO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WITH ONE MEMBER OF THE MAJORITY PARTY APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND ONE MEMBER OF THE MINORITY PARTY APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES;

(C) BY THE ONE MINORITY LEADER INDIVIDUAL WHO IS OF THE HOUSE OF RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXPERIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR;

(D) ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ACTIVE IN IRISH-AMERICAN CULTURAL AND CIVIC AFFAIRS, WITH A PREFERENCE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A HISTORY OF COOPERATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;

(E) ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ACTIVE IN ONE OR MORE STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN COLORADO-IRELAND TRADE RELATIONS, APPOINTED BY THE COLORADO COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION; AND

(F) ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO REPRESENTS BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS APPOINTED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL; AND

(II) THREE VOTING EX OFFICIO MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:

(A) ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE STATE, VETERANS, AND MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE OR ITS SUCCESSOR COMMITTEE, OR THE CHAIR'S DESIGNEE;

(B) ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE STATE, CIVIC, MILITARY, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR ITS SUCCESSOR COMMITTEE, OR THE CHAIR'S DESIGNEE; AND

(C) THE DIRECTOR OF THE COLORADO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OR THE DIRECTOR'S DESIGNEE.

(b) THE MEMBERS APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION SHALL SERVE TERMS OF THREE YEARS AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE COMMISSION FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR TERMS.

(c) ALL APPOINTMENTS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (2)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE NO LATER THAN AUGUST 31, 2026. IN MAKING AUTHORITIES SHALL MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP IS INCLUSIVE AND REFLECTS THE GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THE STATE.

APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION, THE APPOINTING

(d) MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE APPLICABLE APPOINTING AUTHORITY OR UNTIL THE MEMBER NO LONGER SERVES IN THE POSITION FOR WHICH THAT MEMBER WAS APPOINTED TO THE COMMISSION. IF A VACANCY OCCURS, THE APPROPRIATE APPOINTING AUTHORITY SHALL APPOINT A REPLACEMENT MEMBER WHO MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (2)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION FOR THE VACANT POSITION NOT LATER THAN NINETY DAYS FROM THE DATE THE VACANCY IS DEEMED TO EXIST.

(e) MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION AND ARE NOT ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES OR OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO THEIR WORK ON THE COMMISSION.

(3) Meetings.

(a) THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CALL THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COMMISSION, TO BE HELD NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, AT WHICH THE MEMBERS SHALL ELECT A CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR FROM AMONG THE LEGISLATIVE MEMBERSHIP AND ASSIGN STUDY AND REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE MEMBERS.

(b) THE COMMISSION SHALL POST ON THE WEBSITE OF THE COLORADO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT A NOTICE OF ALL MEETINGS, THE NAME OF EACH MEMBER SERVING ON THE COMMISSION, AND A COPY OF ALL REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCED BY THE COMMISSION.

(c) THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT LEAST TWICE PER YEAR.

(d) A QUORUM FOR A MEETING IS SIX MEMBERS.

(e) THE COMMISSION MAY MEET BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, INCLUDING FOR ITS FIRST MEETING.

(4) Duties. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO:

(a) ADVANCE BILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN COLORADO AND IRELAND; (b) ENCOURAGE MUTUAL INVESTMENT IN COLORADO AND IRELAND, ESPECIALLY IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HUMAN CAPITAL; (c) PROMOTE BUSINESS, EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN COLORADO AND IRELAND;

(d) TAKE JOINT ACTION ON POLICY ISSUES OF MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN COLORADO AND IRELAND; AND

(e) ADDRESS OTHER ISSUES AS DETERMINED NECESSARY BY THE COMMISSION.

(5) Reports.

(a) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15, 2027, AND ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15 EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR. THE REPORT MUST INCLUDE:

(I) THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE COMMISSION MET DURING THE PRECEDING TWELVE MONTHS;

(II) THE MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION'S MEETINGS; AND

(III) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR REQUESTS THAT MAY ASSIST THE COMMISSION'S WORK.

(b) NOTWITHSTANDING SECTION 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), THE REPORTING INDEFINITELY.

REQUIREMENT IN THIS SUBSECTION CONTINUES

SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.