Bill Text: HI SB617 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Research And Technology Grants.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-11-30 - Carried over to 2018 Regular Session. [SB617 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB617-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
617 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY GRANTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature recognizes the importance of fostering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in the public education system from grade school through university level and beyond. Each year, the legislature appropriates significant moneys to fund initiatives that further science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at all levels of education. This type of education, and a culture of innovation, are essential to help grow and diversify Hawaii's economic sectors with new products, services, and processes.
The legislature finds, however, that each year many residents leave Hawaii for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics across the United States and the globe. Many residents do not want to leave, but have no choice because there are not enough local career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The legislature finds that funding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational initiatives alone does not ensure jobs for Hawaii's residents in these fields. Educational efforts to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics must be matched with initiatives that help foster jobs in research and technology because research and technology are the core of innovation and the critical first step in a product development cycle.
The legislature further finds that innovation is essential for creating new jobs in the high technology sector. In recent years, innovation has led to new jobs in sectors as diverse as defense or dual-use, software and information technology, life sciences and biotechnology, and clean energy. At the same time, innovations ripple through the economy, creating jobs for workers building advanced infrastructure such as clean energy solutions, installing broadband networks, and utilizing new devices and products in service industries such as health care and tourism. Innovation is critical for sustaining the vitality and resilience of Hawaii's economy.
The legislature recognizes that, while future challenges are impossible to predict, the State's economy will be able to respond to challenges by adopting innovative solutions and re-deploying old activities and jobs, thereby making the State's industries less susceptible to adversity. Innovation is the key to remaining competitive globally, creating new and better science, technology, engineering, and mathematics jobs for Hawaii's residents, and creating a resilient economy. Support for research and development stimulates the growth of jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to support research and development by establishing a research and technology grant program to be administered by the high technology development corporation.
SECTION 2. Chapter 206M, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§206M- Research and technology grant program; established. (a) There is established the research and technology grant program, through which the development corporation shall provide grants to qualified research and technology companies in Hawaii for eligible projects. The program shall be developed and administered by the development corporation.
(b) The development corporation shall award program grants only to research and technology companies that:
(1) Have applied for and received United States and foreign patents on their technology;
(2) Have applied for and received federal research contracts;
(3) Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, ordinances, and policies;
(4) Agree not to use state funds for entertainment or lobbying activities;
(5) Allow the development corporation, legislative committees and their staff, and the auditor full access to their records, files, and other related documents and information for purposes of monitoring, measuring the effectiveness of, and ensuring the proper expenditure of the grant;
(6) Are incorporated under the laws of the State;
(7) Have been in operation for at least five years; and
(8) Submit a grant application requesting funding for an eligible project.
(c) Eligible projects that may receive grants from the research and technology grant program shall:
(1) Foster science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at the K-12 or university levels;
(2) Be based on the principles of robotics, engineering, science, or mathematics; and
(3) Involve the direct participation or input of students at the K-12 or university levels.
(d) Preference for award of a grant shall be given to projects that bring in resources and federal or private funding into the State.
(e) Each grant shall be equal to fifty per cent of the eligible project's costs that were paid in the State during the previous calendar year, or project costs paid in the state after January 1, 2016.
(f) No research and technology company shall receive a grant exceeding $ in any given year and not more than one grant in any given year.
(g) The development corporation shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session held in an even-numbered year. The report shall include the following items:
(1) The total number of grant applications received;
(2) The total number of grants awarded;
(3) The actual economic and workforce development benefits realized as a result of each grant provided;
(4) The total amount of money awarded for each grant; and
(5) Any other information about the research and technology grant program that the development corporation deems necessary.
(h) The development corporation shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this section.
(i) Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall not be subject to chapters 42F, 103D, and 103F. All grants shall be made in accordance with the standards and conditions specified in this section.
(j) Moneys appropriated for the research and technology grant program may be used to pay for the cost of administering, operating, and marketing the grant program, as determined by the board of directors.
(k) For the purposes of this section "research and technology company" means a for-profit company in Hawaii that is primarily engaged in research, science, technology, engineering, or math activities as evidenced by the receipt of patents or federal research contracts performed in the State."
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the awarding of grants under the research and technology grant program established pursuant to this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the high technology development corporation for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Research and Technology Grant Program; High Technology Development Corporation; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes the research and technology grant program within the high technology development corporation to provide grants to qualified research and technology companies in Hawaii for eligible projects. Establishes program guidelines and eligibility criteria for research and technology companies. Requires eligible projects to foster science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education at the K-12 or university levels. Appropriates funds to the program. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
