General Assembly |
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February Session, 2014 |
*_____HB05574PD____041614____* |
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT BIOSCIENCE CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT REPORT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014) (a) Not later than February 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall prepare and issue a request for proposals for a regional council of governments formed pursuant to section 4-124j of the general statutes, educational institution, community development corporation, regional economic development corporation or other nonprofit organization to establish and administer a program to promote and support the development of bioscience and biotechnology businesses in the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region designated pursuant to section 16a-4a of the general statutes. Such organization shall have experience in the formation of or assistance to start-up businesses, fundraising, networking and marketing. The commissioner shall develop criteria to evaluate such proposals and shall award a grant for the establishment of such program. On or before May 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall evaluate proposals received pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and shall approve one such proposal.
(b) Any proposal submitted pursuant to this section shall include an outline of the program to be established with a grant awarded under this section. Such program shall include:
(1) Outreach efforts to entrepreneurs, regional community and business leaders and experts in the bioscience and biotechnology fields to determine the needs and objectives of such individuals, and to inform such individuals of state programs and resources to assist in the formation of bioscience and biotechnology businesses in said planning region;
(2) A marketing plan for bioscience and biotechnology development in said planning region, including: (A) An identification of assets, including the facilities and talent pool located in said planning region, (B) marketing tools to advertise such assets, (C) goals for such marketing plan, and (D) a timetable and budget for such marketing plan;
(3) A working group that shall consist of not less than ten nor more than fifteen business and community leaders from said planning region to (A) encourage networking and planning between professionals from different fields, (B) assess the program established pursuant to this section, and (C) make recommendations to the organization administering such program concerning the development and implementation of such program; and
(4) The identification of and plan for acquisition of a facility to serve as a business incubator for said planning region and a plan to establish and maintain an Internet web site for such incubator.
(c) On or before January 1, 2017, the commissioner shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce on the request for proposal issued and the program established pursuant to this section.
Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 32-235 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):
(b) The proceeds of the sale of said bonds, to the extent of the amount stated in subsection (a) of this section, shall be used by the Department of Economic and Community Development (1) for the purposes of sections 32-220 to 32-234, inclusive, including economic cluster-related programs and activities, and for the Connecticut job training finance demonstration program pursuant to sections 32-23uu and 32-23vv, provided (A) three million dollars shall be used by said department solely for the purposes of section 32-23uu and not more than five million two hundred fifty thousand dollars of the amount stated in said subsection (a) may be used by said department for the purposes of section 31-3u, (B) not less than one million dollars shall be used for an educational technology grant to the deployment center program and the nonprofit business consortium deployment center approved pursuant to section 32-41l, (C) not less than two million dollars shall be used by said department for the establishment of a pilot program to make grants to businesses in designated areas of the state for construction, renovation or improvement of small manufacturing facilities, provided such grants are matched by the business, a municipality or another financing entity. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall designate areas of the state where manufacturing is a substantial part of the local economy and shall make grants under such pilot program which are likely to produce a significant economic development benefit for the designated area, (D) five million dollars may be used by said department for the manufacturing competitiveness grants program, (E) one million dollars shall be used by said department for the purpose of a grant to the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, for the purposes of subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of section 32-7f, (F) fifty million dollars shall be used by said department for the purpose of grants to the United States Department of the Navy, the United States Department of Defense or eligible applicants for projects related to the enhancement of infrastructure for long-term, on-going naval operations at the United States Naval Submarine Base-New London, located in Groton, which will increase the military value of said base. Such projects shall not be subject to the provisions of sections 4a-60 and 4a-60a, (G) two million dollars shall be used by said department for the purpose of a grant to the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc., for manufacturing initiatives, including aerospace and defense, and (H) four million dollars shall be used by said department for the purpose of a grant to companies adversely impacted by the construction at the Quinnipiac Bridge, where such grant may be used to offset the increase in costs of commercial overland transportation of goods or materials brought to the port of New Haven by ship or vessel, (2) for the purposes of the small business assistance program established pursuant to section 32-9yy, provided fifteen million dollars shall be deposited in the small business assistance account established pursuant to said section 32-9yy, [and] (3) to deposit twenty million dollars in the small business express assistance account established pursuant to section 32-7h, and (4) for the purposes of section 1 of this act.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2014 |
New section |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2014 |
32-235(b) |
PD |
Joint Favorable Subst. |