PRINTER'S NO. 4100
No. 2946 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY PIPPY, DALEY, ORIE, GIGLIOTTI, GEIST, ROBINSON,
MAHER, DeLUCA, ARGALL, FAIRCHILD, READSHAW, ROSS, SAYLOR,
BATTISTO, WILT, ALLEN, STEVENSON, L. I. COHEN, HABAY, HARHAI,
J. TAYLOR, KENNEY, ROEBUCK, MANDERINO AND CAWLEY,
NOVEMBER 16, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, NOVEMBER 16, 1998
AN ACT
1 Creating the University Research Investment Program in the
2 Department of Community and Economic Development; and making
3 an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the University
8 Research Investment Program Act.
9 Section 2. Declaration of purpose.
10 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
11 (1) University-based research is a vital component of
12 economic development, especially in the high technology
13 industries that will drive the twenty-first century economy.
14 (2) Pennsylvania is home to a rich and diversified
15 higher education community that includes more than 200
16 colleges and universities that can contribute greatly to the
17 Commonwealth's future economic competitiveness.
1 (3) The expenditure of research and development funds
2 within the Commonwealth's economy generates additional
3 expenditures for goods and services and creates a significant
4 number of jobs in this Commonwealth.
5 (4) State investment in university-based research would
6 enhance Pennsylvania's ability to attract increasingly
7 competitive Federal and private sector funding.
8 (5) Pennsylvania lags significantly behind other states
9 in the level of investment for university-based research.
10 Section 3. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "Board." The University Research Investment Program Board.
15 "Eligible Pennsylvania institutions of higher education."
16 All accredited Pennsylvania public and private institutions of
17 higher education.
18 "Program." The University Research Investment Program
19 created in section 4.
20 "Six high technology clusters." Those industries identified
21 by the Technology 21 initiative as those that will dominate
22 Pennsylvania's twenty-first century economy; advanced
23 manufacturing, advanced materials, agribusiness, biotechnology,
24 environmental technology and information technology.
25 Section 4. Creation of program.
26 In order to improve the ability of the Commonwealth to
27 compete for federally sponsored research funding of projects
28 designed to improve the Commonwealth's advantage in high
29 technology, and in order to forge new and innovative
30 partnerships with industry, particularly those companies that
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1 are part of the six high technology clusters, the University
2 Research Investment Program is hereby created in the Department
3 of Community and Economic Development.
4 Section 5. Creation of board.
5 (a) Composition.--The University Research Investment Program
6 shall be administered by an oversight committee known as the
7 University Research Investment Board which shall be comprised of
8 nine members, three of whom shall be representatives of various
9 Pennsylvania institutions of higher education, three of whom
10 shall be representatives of State government and three of whom
11 shall be representatives of private industry. The board members
12 shall be selected by and shall serve at the pleasure of the
13 Governor.
14 (b) Compensation.--Board members shall receive no
15 compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual
16 and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
17 duties.
18 (c) Executive director.--The board shall appoint an
19 executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the board.
20 (d) Quorum.--No action of the board shall occur in the
21 absence of a quorum, which shall consist of five members. A vote
22 of a majority of the members present shall be required for any
23 action including the awarding of a grant.
24 Section 6. Powers and duties of board.
25 The board shall have the following powers and duties:
26 (1) Establish annual priorities for distributing program
27 funds.
28 (2) Solicit and gather proposals for funding projects
29 that accomplish established priorities.
30 (3) Establish and oversee an independent merit review
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1 process for proposals.
2 (4) Select recipients and award grants to institutions
3 of higher education.
4 (5) Develop appropriate reporting and accountability
5 procedures.
6 Section 7. Evaluation of research grants.
7 The following criteria shall be used by the board in
8 evaluating and awarding research grants:
9 (1) Preference shall be given to proposals that require
10 a specified State match to attract Federal funding or private
11 sector funding or both.
12 (2) Only those individuals affiliated with an eligible
13 Pennsylvania institution of higher education may act as
14 principal or co-principal investigators. Individuals who are
15 not employed by an eligible Pennsylvania institution, such as
16 scientists, engineers or employees of industry, may serve
17 only as consultants on applications.
18 (3) All accredited Pennsylvania public and private
19 institutions of higher education are eligible to compete for
20 funding through the program.
21 (4) Basic and applied research proposals that have the
22 potential for contributing to the Commonwealth's economic
23 development shall be considered.
24 (5) All academic disciplines are eligible unless limited
25 by the criteria established by the board.
26 (6) Preference shall be given to initiatives which
27 encourage collaboration and sharing of resources among
28 institutions of higher education.
29 (7) The minimum amount of each grant awarded shall be
30 $500,000.
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1 (8) Projects shall not exceed three years in duration.
2 (9) Grants shall be awarded only for new initiatives.
3 Section 8. Rules and regulations.
4 The Secretary of Community and Economic Development may
5 promulgate rules and regulations to administer this act.
6 Section 9. Annual report.
7 The board shall submit an annual report of its activities to
8 the Governor and General Assembly no later than 30 days after
9 the end of the year to which the report applies.
10 Section 10. Appropriation.
11 The sum of $25,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
12 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Community
13 and Economic Development from the General Fund for the fiscal
14 year July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2000, to be used exclusively for
15 the purposes of this act.
16 Section 11. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect immediately.
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