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.