Section 1 [Trade Policy Advisory Council]

Subdivision 1 [Establishment] establishes a Trade Policy Advisory Council to advise and assist the Governor and the Legislature regarding government procurement agreements of United States trade agreements.

Subdivision 2 [Membership] specifies membership for the council.  The council shall have 14 members including the Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) or a designee, the Commissioner of Agriculture or designee, two senators, two representatives, and eight members appointed by the Governor.  The Governor’s appointees shall represent specified contingents:  two representing organized labor, one representing environmental interests; two representing family farmers; two representing business and industry; and one representing a nonprofit organization focused on international trade and development.  The council may invite representatives from other state agencies, industries, trade and labor organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and local governments to join the council as nonvoting ex officio members.

Subdivision 3 [Term] specifies that the members serve a two-year term, and may be reappointed.  Appointments must be made by the first Monday in January in odd-numbers years.

Subdivision 4 [Administration] requires the Commissioner of DEED to  provide the council meeting space and administrative services to the council.

Subdivision 5 [Initial appointees and first meeting] requires appointing authorities to make the initial appointments to the council by September 15, 2013, and requires the Commissioner of DEED to convene the first meeting by December 15, 2013, and to act as chair until the council elects a chair at its first meeting.

Subdivision 6 [Chair] requires the members to elect a chair from its legislative members.

Subdivision 7 [No compensation] requires public members to serve on the council without compensation or payment of expenses.

Subdivision 8 [Duties] describes the duties of the council.

Subdivision 9 [Report] requires the council to submit a report to the chairs of committees with primary jurisdiction over jobs in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Subdivision 10 [Sunset] The council is sunset on January 1, 2020.

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