2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-03461SF0144
SENATE FILE NO. SF0144
Wyoming-Ireland Trade Commission.
Sponsored by: Senator(s) Driskill, Anderson, Case, Cooper,
Dockstader, Olsen and Schuler and
Representative(s) Clouston and Geringer
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
7
8. W.S. 9-12-1601 through 9-12-1603 are
9 created to read:
10
11
12
13 (a) There is created the Wyoming-Ireland Trade
14 Commission.
15 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03462SF01441 (b) As used in this article, "commission" means the
2 Wyoming-Ireland Trade Commission.
3
4
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 appointed by
18 the minority leader of the house of representatives;
19
20 (v) One (1) member of the senate appointed by
21 the senate minority leader; and
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03463SF01441 (vi) One (1) person to be appointed by the
2 board.
3
4 (b) The members selected by the governor and the
5 board shall each be a representative of one (1) or more of
6 the following:
7
8 (i) A Wyoming public institution of higher
9 education;
10
11 (ii) The Irish-American community in Wyoming who
12 is interested in furthering trade between Wyoming and
13 Ireland;
14
15 (iii) A Wyoming industry engaged in or seeking
16 to engage in trade with Ireland;
17
18 (iv) A Wyoming business association, trade
19 organization, economic development organization or chamber
20 of commerce currently engaged in or interested in engaging
21 in the furtherance of trade with Ireland.
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03464SF01441 (c) Members of the commission who are not legislative
2 members shall serve for a two (2) year term. Legislative
3 members shall serve for the two (2) year biennial
4 legislative session in which they are appointed to the
5 commission and shall remain members of the legislature in
6 order to retain membership on the commission. Members may
7 be reappointed. Terms shall begin March 1 of year in which
8 the legislature meets in general session.
9
10 (d) Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as
11 the original appointment and shall be filled only for the
12 unexpired part of the term.
13
14 (e) The appointing authority for any member may
15 remove the member without cause and substitute another
16 appointee for the member at any time.
17
18 (f) The commission shall hold meetings not less than
19 once each calendar quarter. Meetings shall be held at the
20 call of the chairman. At the initial meeting of the
21 commission and annually thereafter, the members shall
22 select from among the appointed legislators one (1) member
23 to serve as the chairman. A majority of the members of the 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03465SF0144
1 commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
2 the business of the commission.
3
4 (g) The chairman may appoint from among the
5 commission members subcommittees and subcommittee chairmen.
6
7 (h) Necessary clerical and administrative support for
8 the commission shall be furnished by the council.
9
10 (j) Nonlegislative members of the commission shall
11 receive no compensation, but shall be reimbursed under W.S.
12 9-3-102 and 9-3-103 for per diem and travel expenses
13 incurred in the performance of their duties on the
14 commission. Nonlegislative members who are government
15 employees or public officials shall be considered on
16 official business of their agency when performing duties as
17 members of the commission.
18
19 (k) The legislative members of the commission shall
20 receive salary and reimbursement for per diem and travel
21 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the
22 commission, as provided in W.S. 28-5-101.
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03466SF01441
2
3 (a) The purpose of the Wyoming-Ireland Trade
4 Commission shall be to advance, promote and encourage
5 business and other mutually beneficial activities between
6 Wyoming and Ireland, including:
7
8 (i) Bilateral trade and investment;
9
10 (ii) Joint action on policy issues of mutual
11 interest;
12
13 (iii) Business and academic exchanges;
14
15 (iv) Mutual economic support;
16
17 (v) Mutual investment in the respective
18 infrastructure; and
19
20 (vi) Other opportunities for mutual benefit and
21 economic growth as identified by the commission.
22 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03467SF01441 (b) The commission shall report its findings,
2 activities, results and recommendations to the governor,
3 the speaker of the house of representatives and the
4 president of the senate not later than one (1) year after
5 its initial meeting and by November 1 of each succeeding
6 year for the activities of the preceding calendar year. The
7 report shall be in writing and may include recommendations
8 or proposed legislation as deemed appropriate by the
9 commission to effectuate its purposes.
10
11W.S. 9-12-102(a)(viii) is amended to read:
12
13
14
15 (a) As used in this act, the following terms have the
16 following meanings, except where the context clearly
17 indicates otherwise:
18
19 (viii) "This act" means W.S. 9-12-101 through
209-12-1603.
21
22
23 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03468SF01441 (a) Per diem and travel expenses for members of the
2 commission shall be provided from the following sources
3 for:
4
5 (i) Legislative members of the commission, by
6 management council as provided by 2024 Wyo. Session Laws,
7 Chapter 59, Section 9;
8
9 (ii) Nonlegislative members of the commission:
10
11 (A) Who are not government employees, from
12 funds appropriated to the governor's office in 2024 Wyo.
13 Session Laws, Chapter 118, Section 2, Section 001 for
14 international trade marketing;
15
16 (B) Who are government employees, from
17 funds appropriated to their agency in 2024 Wyo. Session
18 Laws, Chapter 118, Section 2.
19 2025STATE OF WYOMING25LSO-03469SF01441. This act is effective immediately upon
2 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
3 as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
4 Constitution.
5
6 (END)