SF 126

 2026  26LSO-0440
                            STATE OF WYOMING
                        SENATE FILE NO. SF0126
 Wyoming-Ireland Trade Commission.
 Sponsored by: Senator(s) Anderson, Dockstader and Driskill
                                     A BILL
                                      for
1 AN ACT relating to economic development; establishing the
2 Wyoming-Ireland       trade     commission;  providing      for    the
3 purposes,     membership      and    operation      of     the   commission;
4 amending a definition; and providing for an effective date.
5
6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
7
8Section   1.    W.S.    9-12-1601  through    9-12-1603      are
9 created to read:
10
119-12-1601.     Commission created; definitions.
12
13(a)   There    is     created       the    Wyoming-Ireland        trade
14 commission.
15
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1(b)   As used in this article, "commission" means the
2 Wyoming-Ireland trade commission.
3
49-12-1602.     Membership.
5
6(a)   The commission shall consist of nine (9) members
7 to be appointed as follows:
8
9(i)     Two (2) persons appointed by the governor;
10
11(ii)    Two    (2)     members   of      the   house   of
12 representatives appointed by the speaker of the house;
13
14(iii)    Two (2) members of the senate appointed by
15 the president of the senate;
16
17(iv)    One    (1)     member    of      the   house   of
18 representatives appointed by the minority floor leader of
19 the house;
20
21(v)     One (1) member of the senate appointed by
22 the senate minority floor leader; and
23
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1(vi)     One (1) person to be appointed by the board
2 of directors of the council.
3
4(b)   The commission members selected by the governor
5 and by the board shall be representatives of one (1) or
6 more of the following:
7
8(i)     A     Wyoming    public    institution   of    higher
9 education;
10
11(ii)     The    Irish-American       community   in    Wyoming
12 interested in furthering trade between Wyoming and Ireland;
13
14(iii)        A Wyoming industry engaged in or seeking
15 to engage in trade with Ireland;
16
17(iv)     A     Wyoming       business   association,    trade
18 organization, economic development organization or chamber
19 of commerce currently engaged in or interested in engaging
20 in the furtherance of trade with Ireland.
21
22(c)   Members of the commission who are not legislative
23 members shall serve for a two (2) year term. Legislative
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1 members      shall    serve   for       the   two    (2)     year    biennial
2 legislative term for which the members are appointed to the
3 commission and shall remain members of the legislature in
4 order to retain membership on the commission. Members may
5 be reappointed. Terms shall begin March 1 of odd numbered
6 years.
7
8(d)   Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as
9 the original appointment and shall be filled only for the
10 unexpired portion of the term.
11
12(e)   The     appointing     authority       for     any   member    may
13 remove that member with or without cause and substitute
14 another appointee for the member at any time.
15
16(f)   The commission shall hold meetings not less than
17 one (1) time each calendar quarter. Meetings shall be held
18 at the call of the chairman. At the initial meeting of the
19 commission     and     annually     thereafter,       the     members      shall
20 select from among the appointed legislators one (1) member
21 to serve as the chairman. A majority of the members of the
22 commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
23 the business of the commission.
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1
2(g)    The     chairman       may     appoint       from       among    the
3 commission members subcommittees and subcommittee chairmen.
4
5(h)    Necessary clerical and administrative support for
6 the commission shall be furnished by the Wyoming business
7 council.
8
9(j)    Nonlegislative      members      of    the    commission        shall
10 receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed under W.S.
11 9-3-102      and    9-3-103    for    per     diem   and        travel    expenses
12 incurred in the performance of the member's duties on the
13 commission.  Nonlegislative  members   who        are      government
14 employees      or    public     officials      shall       be    considered      on
15 official business of the member's agency when performing
16 duties as members of the commission.
17
18(k)    The legislative members of the commission shall
19 receive salary and reimbursement for per diem and travel
20 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the
21 commission, as provided in W.S. 28-5-101.
22
239-12-1603.      Purposes; reporting.
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1
2(a)   The     purpose  of     the     Wyoming-Ireland        trade
3 commission    shall       be    to   advance,       promote   and   encourage
4 business and other mutually beneficial activities between
5 Wyoming and Ireland, including:
6
7(i)     Bilateral trade and investment;
8
9(ii)    Joint      action      on    policy   issues   of   mutual
10 interest;
11
12(iii)       Business and academic exchanges;
13
14(iv)    Mutual economic support;
15
16(v)     Mutual investment in infrastructure; and
17
18(vi)    Other opportunities for mutual benefit and
19 economic growth as identified by the commission.
20
21(b)   The     commission  shall    report     its   findings,
22 activities, results and  recommendations to  the governor,
23 the    speaker      of    the    house      of    representatives    and    the
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1 president of the senate not later than one (1) year after
2 its initial meeting and by November 1 of each succeeding
3 year for the activities of the preceding calendar year. The
4 report shall be in writing and may include recommendations
5 or     proposed    legislation     as   deemed    appropriate      by   the
6 commission to effectuate its purposes.
7
8Section 2.     W.S. 9-12-102(a)(viii) is amended to read:
9
109-12-102.      Definitions.
11
12(a)   As used in this act, the following terms have the
13 following     meanings,       except    where    the    context    clearly
14 indicates otherwise:
15
16(viii)    "This    act"    means   W.S.   9-12-101    through
17 9-12-1509 9-12-1603.
18
19Section 3.
20
21(a)   Per diem and travel expenses for members of the
22 commission    shall     be   provided    from   the    following   sources
23 for:
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1
2(i)    Legislative        members    of   the    commission,    by
3 management council as provided by 2026 Senate File 0002,
4 section 6;
5
6(ii)       Nonlegislative members of the commission:
7
8(A)    Who are not government employees, from
9 funds appropriated to the governor's office in 2026 House
10 Bill 0001, section 2, section 001 for international trade
11 marketing;
12
13(B)    Who      are      government      employees,    from
14 funds appropriated to their agency in 2026 House Bill 0001,
15 section 2.
16
17Section    4.    This    act    is    effective    immediately    upon
18 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
19 as     provided    by    Article      4,    Section   8     of   the   Wyoming
20 Constitution.
21
22(END)
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