Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 106 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Harper, Wayne A.

Final action

Governor Vetoed 3/27/2025

Outcome

Vetoed

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission (trade commission) within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (office);
• describes the membership, purpose, and duties of the trade commission;
• provides that the office staff the trade commission;
• requires an annual report;
• authorizes the office to solicit funds for certain purposes and to account for those funds; and
• provides a sunset date of July 1, 2030.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

23
36-36-101
36-36-102
36-36-103
36-36-104
36-36-105
Utah-Ireland Trade Commission
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission (commission);
describes the membership, purpose, and duties of the commission;
requires an annual report;
authorizes the commission to solicit funds for certain purposes;
creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission Restricted Account; and
provides that the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel staff the 
commission.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
36-36-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-102
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-103
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-104
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-105
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
36-36-101
 is enacted to read:
35. UTAH-IRELAND TRADE COMMISSION
36-36-101. Utah-Ireland Trade Commission - - Creation -- Membership -- 
Chairs -- Terms -- Per diem and expenses.
(1)
The commission membership consists of 11 members:
(a)
seven members to be selected as follows:
(i)
four members from the House of Representatives, including:
(A)
three selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives; and
(B)
one selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation 
with the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
(ii)
three members from the Senate, including:
(A)
two selected by the president of the Senate; and
(B)
one selected by the president of the Senate in consultation with the minority 
leader of the Senate; and
(b)
four members to be appointed by the governor, including:
(i)
two members from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, who shall be 
the executive director and executive director's designee and who shall oversee the 
following commission activities in accordance with Section 
63N-19-102
:
(A)
diplomatic relations;
(B)
business travel; and
(C)
corporate recruitment;
(ii)
one member of the public who represents the Irish-American community in Utah; 
and
(iii)
one member from:
(A)
the Department of Workforce Services; or
(B)
an institution of higher education, as that term is defined in Section 
53B-1-102
.
(2)
(a)
Each member shall serve a two-year term.
(b)
When a vacancy occurs for a member selected under Subsection (2)(a), the 
replacement shall be selected for the unexpired term.
(c)
Notwithstanding the requirement of Subsection 
(3)(a)
, the governor shall, at the time 
of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of terms to ensure that the terms 
of these members are staggered so that approximately half of the members are 
appointed or reappointed under Subsection (3)(d) every two years.
(d)
When a vacancy occurs among members appointed by the governor, the replacement 
shall be appointed for the unexpired term.
(3)
A majority of the commission members constitutes a quorum.
(4)
The commission shall designate, by majority vote, a member as chair of the commission.
(5)
(a)
State government officer and employee members who do not receive salary, per 
diem, or expenses from the government officer's or employee's agency for service on 
the commission may receive per diem and expenses at the rates incurred in the 
performance of official commission duties at the rates established by the Division of 
Finance under Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
.
(b)
Legislators on the commission receive compensation and expenses as provided by 
law and legislative rule.
Section 2, Section 
36-36-102
 is enacted to read:
36-36-102. Purpose and duties of the commission - - Written report.
(1)
The purpose of the commission shall be to:
(a)
advance bilateral trade and investment between Utah and Ireland;
(b)
initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to Utah and Ireland;
(c)
promote business and academic exchanges between Utah and Ireland;
(d)
encourage mutual economic support between Utah and Ireland; and
(e)
encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure of Utah and Ireland.
(2)
The commission shall:
(a)
comply with the rules of legislative interim committees unless those rules conflict 
with this section; 
(b)
study and make recommendations to the Legislature concerning:
(i)
the impact of international treaties adopted by the United States Senate on the 
Legislature's constitutional powers to regulate state affairs, both public and private;
(ii)
the creation, duties and powers, and oversight of a state trade representative or 
state point of contact; and
(iii)
the promotion of Utah-Ireland trade;
(c)
maintain active communication with:
(i)
the office of the United States trade representative;
(ii)
Utah's congressional delegation;
(iii)
Utah's state trade representative or state point of contact, if created; and
(iv)
any other organization whose mission involves international trade in the United 
States as the commission considers appropriate;
(d)
solicit funding to allow the commission to visit Ireland without incurring expense to 
the taxpayer, as described in Section 36-36-103; and
(e)
have no more than four paid meetings per year.
(3)
Beginning in 2026, and no later than July 1 of each year, the commission shall issue a 
written report to the governor and the Economic Development and Workforce Services 
Interim Committee regarding the commission's activities in the preceding year and any 
recommendations to further trade and good relations between Utah and Ireland.
Section 3, Section 
36-36-103
 is enacted to read:
36-36-103. Solicitation of funds.
(1)
The commission shall be authorized to raise funds as described in this section to:
(a)
defray administrative expenses; and
(b)
carry out the commission's purposes.
(2)
The commission may:
(a)
raise funds through direct solicitation or other fund-raising events, alone or with 
other groups; and
(b)
accept gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, 
governmental agencies, and public and private organizations and institutions.
(3)
All funds received by the commission shall be deposited in the Utah-Ireland Trade 
Commission Restricted Account created in Section 36-36-104.
Section 4, Section 
36-36-104
 is enacted to read:
36-36-104. Utah-Ireland Trade Commission Restricted Account.
(1)
There is created a restricted account within the General Fund known as the Utah-Ireland 
Trade Commission Restricted Account.
(2)
The account consists of:
(a)
money deposited into the account, as required by Section 36-36-103; and
(b)
appropriations made by the Legislature.
(3)
The Legislature may annually appropriate money from the Utah-Ireland Trade 
Commission Restricted Account to fund the activities of the commission described in 
Section 36-35-102.
Section 5, Section 
36-36-105
 is enacted to read:
36-36-105. Staff Support.
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall staff the commission.
Section 6. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
1-13-25 4:48 PM