STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8108--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Devel-
opment and Small Business -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT in relation to establishing the New York Ireland trade commission
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. 1. a. There is established in the department of state the
2 New York Ireland trade commission, as referred to in this section as
3 "the commission".
4 b. The commission shall consist of fifteen members, to be appointed as
5 follows:
6 (1) Two members of the senate shall be appointed by the temporary
7 president of the senate, neither of whom shall be members of the same
8 political party, who shall serve during the two-year legislative term in
9 which the appointments are made;
10 (2) Two members of the assembly shall be appointed by the speaker of
11 the assembly, neither of whom shall be members of the same political
12 party, who shall serve during the two-year legislative term in which the
13 appointments are made; and
14 (3) Eleven members of the commission shall be appointed by the gover-
15 nor, six of whom shall serve for a term of three years and five of whom
16 shall serve for a term of four years, which shall include at least one
17 representative from:
18 (A) an institution of higher education;
19 (B) a chamber of commerce; and
20 (C) at least two public members representing Irish American communi-
21 ties, neither of whom shall be members of the same political party.
22 c. All appointments shall be made no later than ninety days after this
23 act becomes a law. A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09298-02-5
S. 8108--A 2
1 be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made no
2 later than ninety days after such vacancy occurs.
3 d. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
4 their services as members, but shall be allowed their actual and neces-
5 sary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members of
6 the commission shall be considered public officers for purposes of
7 section 17 of the public officers law.
8 e. The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it desig-
9 nates throughout the state.
10 2. The governor shall designate a chair or co-chairs from among the
11 members of the commission, who shall serve in that capacity at the plea-
12 sure of the governor. The chairperson or co-chairpersons, as appropri-
13 ate, may appoint from among the commission members subcommittees and
14 subcommittee chairpersons at their discretion. A quorum shall consist of
15 a majority of the members of the commission entitled to vote on the
16 matter under consideration. Approval of any matter shall require the
17 affirmative vote of a majority of the members voting thereon.
18 3. a. The purpose of the commission shall be to:
19 (1) advance bilateral trade and investment between New York and
20 Ireland;
21 (2) initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to New
22 York and Ireland;
23 (3) promote business and academic exchanges between New York and
24 Ireland;
25 (4) encourage mutual economic support between New York and Ireland;
26 (5) encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure of New York and
27 Ireland; and
28 (6) address such other issues as determined by the commission.
29 b. The commission shall report its findings, results, and recommenda-
30 tions to the governor, and the legislature, within one year of its
31 initial organizational meeting and by the first of February of each
32 succeeding year for the activities of the preceding calendar year. The
33 report shall be in writing and include recommendations as deemed appro-
34 priate by the commission to effectuate its purpose, as provided by this
35 section.
36 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
