Alaska House passes bill creating Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission

The Alaska House voted 38-0 Wednesday to accept Senate changes to a bill creating an Alaska-Ireland Trade Commission.

House Bill 278 establishes the commission to support economic and cultural ties between Alaska and Ireland. The final House vote came during a run of last-day concurrence votes on bills changed by the Senate.

Rep. Mia Costello, R-Anchorage, said the Senate expanded the proposed commission from five members to nine members. Under the Senate version, legislative leaders would appoint members from each chamber.

Costello urged concurrence. There was little floor debate. Rep. Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, said he supported the changes and volunteered to serve.

After the 38-0 vote, the House also adopted the bill's effective date clause without objection.

The bill now leaves the Legislature as one of several measures the House cleared in the final hours of the regular session.