LD 1815
pg. 4
Page 3 of 5 An Act To Establish the Maine Jobs, Trade and Democracy Act Page 5 of 5
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LR 2551
Item 1

 
8.__Staff.__The Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide
the necessary staff support for the operation of the commission.

 
9.__Powers and duties.__The commission:

 
A.__Shall meet at least twice annually;

 
B.__Shall hear public testimony and recommendations from the
people of Maine and qualified experts when appropriate at no
fewer than 5 locations throughout the State in its first
year and no fewer than 3 locations in subsequent years on
the actual and potential social, environmental, economic and
legal impacts of international trade agreements and
negotiations on the State;

 
C.__Shall conduct an annual assessment of the impacts of
international trade agreements on Maine's state laws,
municipal laws, working conditions and business environment;

 
D.__Shall maintain active communications with and submit an
annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, the Attorney
General, municipalities, Maine's congressional delegation,
the Maine International Trade Center, the Maine Municipal
Association, the United States Trade Representative's
Office, the National Conference of State Legislatures and
the National Association of Attorneys General or the
successor organization of any of these groups.__The
commission shall make the report easily accessible to the
public by way of a publicly accessible site on the Internet
maintained by the State.__The report must contain
information acquired pursuant to activities under paragraphs
B and C;

 
E.__Shall maintain active communications with any entity the
commission determines appropriate regarding ongoing
developments in international trade agreements and policy;

 
F.__May draft and recommend legislation to the Legislature;

 
G.__May recommend that the State support, or withhold its
support from, future trade negotiations or agreements; and

 
H.__May examine any aspects of international trade,
international economic integration and trade agreements that
the members of the commission consider appropriate.

 
10.__Evaluation.__By December 31, 2009, the commission shall
conduct an evaluation of its activities and recommend to the


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