Senate File 113 SENATE FILE BY HATCH, DOTZLER, STEWART, RAGAN, KREIMAN, and HOLVECK Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating an office of science and technology within the 2 department of economic development. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1689XS 80 5 tm/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 15.121 OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND 1 2 TECHNOLOGY. 1 3 1. a. An office of science and technology is created 1 4 within the department. 1 5 b. The department shall be administered by a science 1 6 advisor who shall be appointed by the governor subject to 1 7 confirmation by the senate and shall serve at the pleasure of 1 8 the governor. If the office of the science advisor becomes 1 9 vacant, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as 1 10 provided for the original appointment. 1 11 c. The governor shall select an appointee for the office 1 12 of the science advisor from recommendations submitted by the 1 13 state board of regents or the Iowa economic development board. 1 14 2. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise 1 15 requires: 1 16 a. "Office" means the office of science and technology 1 17 created in subsection 1. 1 18 b. "Science advisor" means the science advisor of the 1 19 office or the science advisor's designee. 1 20 3. The mission of the office shall be to do all of the 1 21 following: 1 22 a. To be the advocate of the state for scientifically 1 23 based high technology business. 1 24 b. To establish the scientific and technological goals of 1 25 the state. 1 26 c. To identify the best scientific and technological 1 27 development to spur job creation and growth. 1 28 d. To identify the technological initiatives that can be 1 29 transferred from the public sector into the private sector. 1 30 4. a. The office, in cooperation with federal and state 1 31 laboratories, state regents institutions, and private 1 32 organizations with similar interests, shall strive to provide 1 33 services vital to entrepreneurs or provide referral 1 34 information to those entities most likely to be of assistance 1 35 to entrepreneurs. 2 1 b. The office shall strive to do all of the following: 2 2 (1) Coordinate all state and federal research projects 2 3 with particular attention to potential commercial 2 4 applications. 2 5 (2) Establish a statewide clearinghouse procedure through 2 6 which all research scheduled for potential commercialization 2 7 would be categorized and prioritized according to its 2 8 relationship to the state's economic development strategies. 2 9 (3) Coordinate the identification of all pertinent 2 10 research with the state board of regents, regents 2 11 institutions, and the department. 2 12 (4) Make recommendations to the state board of regents, 2 13 the governor, and the general assembly regarding the funding 2 14 of strategic research. 2 15 5. The duties of the science advisor shall include, but 2 16 not be limited to, all of the following: 2 17 a. Manage the internal operations of the office and 2 18 establish guidelines and procedures to promote the orderly and 2 19 efficient administration of the office. 2 20 b. Serve as a bridge between the high technology business 2 21 community, the universities under the control of the state 2 22 board of regents, community colleges, and state agencies. The 2 23 focus shall be on the infrastructure needs of the high 2 24 technology business community with the mission of growing 2 25 Iowa's economy and family incomes. 2 26 c. Serve as the advisor to state governmental entities 2 27 regarding high technology business opportunities. 2 28 d. Monitor appropriate regulations, appropriations, and 2 29 new development in the administration of similar activities in 2 30 the state, in other states, by the federal government, or in 2 31 foreign countries. The office shall collect information and 2 32 data prepared by other state agencies related to those 2 33 activities and provide referral and assistance to interested 2 34 persons and agencies. 2 35 e. Cooperate with any person involved in high technology 3 1 activities to standardize regulations and coordinate programs, 3 2 in order to increase administrative effectiveness and reduce 3 3 administrative duplication. 3 4 f. Implement policies and procedures designed to 3 5 facilitate communication among persons involved in high 3 6 technology activities. 3 7 g. Assist state agencies, federal agencies, or commercial 3 8 enterprises or commodity organizations that are located in or 3 9 desiring to locate in this state with high technology issues, 3 10 including support of public research relating to high 3 11 technology activities. 3 12 h. Prepare an annual report to the general assembly 3 13 regarding high technology activities. The report shall 3 14 include a review of research and research results, areas of 3 15 study with promising potential, a summary of initiatives in 3 16 other states, and an analysis of state and federal regulations 3 17 and programs. The office shall regularly inform the governor 3 18 and the general assembly regarding its operations and programs 3 19 administered, including financial reports concerning funding 3 20 of the programs. 3 21 i. Formulate long=range strategic plans to guide state 3 22 investment in applied research, development, and commercial 3 23 transfer of selected scientific and technological innovation. 3 24 j. Seek the cooperation of the department, the state board 3 25 of regents, and regents institutions in implementing this 3 26 section. 3 27 EXPLANATION 3 28 This bill creates a new office of science and technology 3 29 within the department of economic development. 3 30 The bill provides that the mission of the office is to be 3 31 the advocate of the state for scientifically based high 3 32 technology business, to establish the scientific and 3 33 technological goals of the state, to identify the best 3 34 scientific and technological development to spur job creation 3 35 and growth, and to identify the technological initiatives that 4 1 can be transferred from the public sector into the private 4 2 sector. 4 3 The bill provides that the office, in cooperation with 4 4 federal and state laboratories, state regents institutions, 4 5 and private organizations with similar interests, shall strive 4 6 to provide services vital to entrepreneurs or provide referral 4 7 information to those entities most likely to be of assistance 4 8 to entrepreneurs. The bill provides that the office shall 4 9 strive to coordinate all state and federal research projects; 4 10 establish a statewide clearinghouse procedure; coordinate the 4 11 identification of all pertinent research with the state board 4 12 of regents, regents institutions, and the department of 4 13 economic development; and make recommendations to the state 4 14 board of regents, the governor, and the general assembly 4 15 regarding the funding of strategic research. 4 16 The bill provides that the science advisor of the office of 4 17 science and technology shall manage the internal operations of 4 18 the office; serve as a bridge between the high technology 4 19 business community, regents universities, community colleges, 4 20 and state agencies; serve as the advisor to state governmental 4 21 entities regarding high technology business opportunities; 4 22 monitor appropriate regulations, appropriations, and new 4 23 development in the administration of similar activities in the 4 24 state, in other states, by the federal government, or in 4 25 foreign countries; cooperate with any person involved in high 4 26 technology activities to standardize regulations and 4 27 coordinate programs; implement policies and procedures 4 28 designed to facilitate communication between persons involved 4 29 in high technology activities; assist state agencies, federal 4 30 agencies, or commercial enterprises or commodity organizations 4 31 that are located in or desiring to locate in this state with 4 32 high technology issues; prepare an annual report to the 4 33 general assembly regarding high technology activities; 4 34 formulate long=range strategic plans to guide state investment 4 35 in applied research, development, and commercial transfer of 5 1 selected scientific and technological innovation; and seek the 5 2 cooperation of the department of economic development, the 5 3 state board of regents, and regents institutions. 5 4 LSB 1689XS 80 5 5 tm/pj/5.2