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Senate bill S.78 would create Vermont–Ireland trade commission; senators seek clearer fundraising and funding language
Summary
Bill S.78, reported to the House committee by an intern, would create a Vermont–Ireland Trade Commission with four-year terms and annual reports; committee members asked for changes to language allowing direct solicitation of funds and for clarification on how the commission would be funded and housed.
A bill to create a Vermont–Ireland Trade Commission (S.78) drew committee attention for its governance and funding provisions, legislative intern Helen R. Graves told the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee on Feb. 28.
Graves said the proposal would establish a trade commission as the first such body in Vermont; members would serve four-year terms and the measure would require the commission to deliver an annual report on Dec. 1. The draft design requires vacancies to be filled within 90 days, Graves reported.
Senator Brock told the Senate committee he was uncomfortable with language that allows the commission to raise funds through direct solicitation, and committee members discussed where it is appropriate for a state-created commission to receive money. Rick Sagal, legislative counsel who provided testimony, said he would research how other states have handled fundraising language. Senator Clarkson asked for clarification on how the commission would be funded and whether it would be housed in the treasurer’s office.
The bill was passed by the House in a prior session but was not taken up by the Senate last session; Graves reported the Senate committee is now inclined to take up the measure this session. The draft included a sunset and an implementation target described in the hearing record, but the transcript did not specify standard statutory citations for those dates and those provisions remain subject to revision.
Why it matters: creating a state trade commission formalizes a government body whose funding sources, governance and solicitation authority affect how the state engages with international partners and industry stakeholders in trade promotion.
