STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblywoman ANGELICA M. JIMENEZ
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Wimberly, Assemblywoman Watson Coleman, Assemblyman Coughlin, Assemblywomen Riley, Mosquera and Assemblyman Chivukula
SYNOPSIS
Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Secretary of Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning higher education and business partnerships and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes and P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Business Action Center in the Department of State, shall create and maintain a database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State. The purpose of the database shall be to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The database shall catalog the assets of each participating institution of higher education including, but not limited to, its: research and development activities; scientific capabilities; physical facilities and equipment; intellectual assets; technological infrastructure and capabilities; and the expertise and specialized qualifications of its faculty and staff. The database shall not include any assets that are determined by the institution to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected, including any research protected by intellectual property law. The database shall be made available on the website of the secretary or the secretary's successor.
b. Each public institution of higher education shall submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section and shall annually provide updated information to the secretary or the secretary's successor.
c. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
2. Each institution of higher education shall assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and shall develop staff training in this area, in order to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.
3. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues and topics involving and relating to each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. In this capacity, the authority shall facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation in the State.
b. The authority shall post on its website a link to the database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State established by the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. The authority shall undertake activities that will maximize the amount of federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education including, but not limited to the ongoing identification and promotion of collaborations among institutions of higher education, and among institutions of higher education and business entities, that would improve the potential for the award and receipt of federal funding.
5. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Secretary of Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.
The bill implements certain recommendations of the 2010 report "Building Bridges Between Academic Institutions, Business and Government to Bring Innovation to the Marketplace" published by the New Jersey Policy Research Organization, an independent affiliate of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. The bill, as a reflection of those recommendations, is intended to spur economic revitalization by capitalizing on new partnerships among New Jersey businesses, research universities, and State government.
The bill directs the EDA to serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues involving each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. EDA will facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation. The bill directs the EDA to undertake certain activities to maximize federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education.
Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the EDA and the Business Action Center in the Department of State, must create and maintain a database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State. The purpose of the database is to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the secretary for inclusion in the database and to annually provide updated information to the secretary. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the secretary for inclusion in the database.
The bill requires each institution of higher education to assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and to develop staff training in this area, to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.