Bill > SCR21

This concurrent resolution establishes the Louisiana-Ireland Trade Commission to strengthen economic and cultural ties between Louisiana and Ireland. The commission will be composed of 12 members, including representatives from the restaurant and oil and gas industries, state legislators, and appointees from the governor's office, with at least one member from a public higher education institution and two members representing Irish-American communities. The commission's primary purposes are to advance bilateral trade and investment, initiate joint policy actions, promote business and academic exchanges, encourage mutual economic support and infrastructure investment, and address other relevant issues. The members will serve without compensation but may receive per diem or expense reimbursement. The commission is required to submit a written report with recommendations to the governor, the Louisiana Legislature, and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library by March 1, 2026, and will hold its first meeting by October 1, 2025. The commission will be dissolved either upon submission of its report or by August 1, 2026, whichever occurs first. The resolution acknowledges Louisiana's significant Irish-American population and the historical and practical reasons for strengthening commercial links with Ireland.