SB-0475, As Passed House, June 7, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE BILL No. 475

 

 

May 5, 2005, Introduced by Senator HARDIMAN and referred to the Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs.

 

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1982 PA 175, entitled

 

"An act to create a state research fund within the department of

commerce; to provide for the administration of the fund; to

prescribe the powers and duties of certain state agencies and

officers; to provide for feasibility review panels; to provide for

certain appropriations; and to repeal certain acts and parts of

acts,"

 

by amending section 2 (MCL 125.1952).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2. (1) The state research fund is hereby created. The

 

department of commerce  labor and economic growth shall give public

 

notice of the existence of the fund, the fund's objectives, and

 

requirements for participation in the fund. From the amounts

 

received by the fund, the department of commerce  labor and

 

economic growth shall make grants for specific projects which  that

 


are either proposed by Michigan colleges and universities in

 

cooperation with a business or other private entity, or which  that

 

are proposed by a business or other private entity, which business

 

or private entity may be that is either a profit or nonprofit

 

entity and which  that is doing business in Michigan. The

 

department of labor and economic growth shall evaluate a proposed

 

projects shall be evaluated project according to whether it meets 1

 

or more of the following criteria:

 

     (a) Apply  The project applies technological discoveries to

 

new applications.

 

     (b) Provide  The project provides a tangible, direct benefit

 

for the economy of the state.

 

     (c) Hold  The project is of interest for  to 1 or more of the

 

following:

 

     (i) The college or university.

 

     (ii)  The business or other private entity.

 

     (d) Are  The project is of general interest to an entire

 

industrial field.

 

     (e) Contribute  The project contributes directly or indirectly

 

to the development of additional products or processes.

 

     (f) The applicant demonstrates the capability to implement the

 

proposed project.

 

     (g) Meet  The project meets any other criteria prescribed by

 

the director of the department of commerce labor and economic

 

growth.

 

     (2) Not more than 35% of the amount appropriated to the fund

 

shall be allocated to any 1 college or institution university.

 


Priority for proposals  proposed projects in subsection (1) shall

 

be given to those proposals which projects that are submitted by a

 

Michigan colleges and universities college or university in

 

cooperation with a business or private entity, which  that do not

 

require continuing grants, and which  that have prospects of

 

receiving necessary financial assistance from other sources in the

 

future.

 

     (3) Within 60 days after receiving a proposal pursuant to

 

subsection (1), a feasibility review panel shall review the

 

feasibility of the proposal and advise the department as to

 

whether, in the opinion of the panel, the proposal complies with

 

subsection (1), and recommend the amount and priority of the grant

 

to the director.  If the proposal a proposed project complies with

 

subsection (1), the director of commerce  the department of labor

 

and economic growth shall determine the amount and priority of the

 

grant and release the grant to the college or university or the

 

business or private entity named in the proposal  proposed project

 

in accordance with the accounting laws of the state.

 

     (4) The feasibility review panel shall be composed of 5

 

members who shall serve without compensation. One member shall be

 

appointed by the speaker of the house. One member shall be

 

appointed by the senate majority leader. Two members shall be

 

appointed by the governor. One member shall be appointed jointly

 

with the concurrence of the speaker of the house, senate majority

 

leader, and the governor. The membership of the panel shall be

 

representative of the scientific, technical, financial, and

 

academic communities in this state. Members of the panel shall be

 


reimbursed for traveling and other necessary expenses, but such

 

reimbursement shall not be made from the fund.