Introduced
by
To create a state government “Office of Trade Enforcement,” a “Citizens Commission on Globalization,” and require the legislature to appoint two state legislative “points of contact” to serve as liaisons with the federal government on trade-related matters. All these entities would be authorized to undertake various lobbying and/or research activities related to U.S. trade policy. The bill would also establish conditions under which the state would “allow itself” to be bound by any international trade agreements entered into by the federal government, including an approval by the legislature provision. (Under the U.S. Constitution this provision would have no real effect, however, since Congress is granted exclusive authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations.) The bill contains a list of legislative “findings” that in general assert that recent international trade agreements have been harmful to the state.
Referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Reform
