Subcommittee advances Bahamas trade commission bill after amendment

Chair Chris Wooten presented House Bill 44-76, a bill to establish a South Carolina–Bahamas Trade Commission to promote bilateral trade and investment. Patrick Jarvis, chief financial officer at the Department of Commerce, told the panel the proposal closely follows language used to create a similar South Carolina–Ireland trade commission: commissioners would raise funds, Commerce would provide administrative support and the commission would direct how to use raised funds.

Representative Mark Smith asked whether an amendment changing meeting-location language would be a problem; Jarvis said it would not. Chair Wooten explained the amendment would require the commission to meet and hold hearings at designated places, and the committee approved the amendment by hand raise. A motion to approve the bill as amended was then adopted and Chair Wooten announced House Bill 44-76 would move to full committee. Wooten also directed members to relationship highlights in their packets summarizing economic-impact numbers from the proposed commission.

The Department of Commerce said fundraising and planning for trade activity are in early stages for similar commissions and that larger trade missions are forthcoming. The committee did not record a roll-call tally.