New Jersey-2018-A4174-Introduced

An Act concerning emerging technology and life science businesses and supplementing 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. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

"Authority" means the New Jersey Economic Development Authority established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).

"Emerging technology business" means a business: that employs highly educated or trained managers and workers in this State; owns capital or property in this State; has qualified expenses paid or incurred for research conducted in this State; conducts pilot scale manufacturing in this State; and conducts technology commercialization in this State in the fields of advanced computing, advanced materials, biotechnology, carbon footprint reduction technology, electronic device technology, information technology, life sciences, medical device technology, mobile communications technology, or renewable energy technology.

"Institution of higher education" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 48 of P.L.2009, c.90 (C.18A:72A-82).

"Life sciences business" means a business: that employs highly educated or trained managers and workers in this State; owns capital or property in this State; has qualified expenses paid or incurred for research conducted in this State; conducts pilot scale manufacturing in this State; and discovers, produces, develops, or conducts technology commercialization in this State in the fields of medical equipment, ophthalmic goods, medical or dental instruments, diagnostic substances, biopharmaceutical products, or conducts physical and biological research.

2. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, shall create and maintain the "New Jersey Innovation Portal," in the form of an Internet website, and links to databases created pursuant to subsection b. of this section, for the purpose of promoting collaboration and innovation among emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses in the State. A database shall not include any information that is determined by an institution of higher education, emerging technology business, or life sciences business, to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected, including any research protected by intellectual property law. The New Jersey Innovation Portal may be hosted by an institution of higher education pursuant to an agreement entered into between the authority and an institution of higher education.

b. The New Jersey Innovation Portal, created pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) a link to databases created by institutions of higher education that institutions of higher education determine to be useful to emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses, including, but not limited to, publicly-accessible academic research and development and patent databases;

(2) a link to a database created by the authority providing information on grants, loans, tax incentives, and other types of assistance available to emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses from a State agency;

(3) a link to a database created by the authority showing available industry research positions at emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses submitted by emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses; and

(4) a link to databases created by institutions of higher education containing information on publicly-accessible research being conducted at institutions of higher education in the fields of emerging technology and life sciences.

3. The authority, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, may adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority), in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to create and maintain the "New Jersey Innovation Portal" (portal), in the form of an Internet website, and links to databases created pursuant to the bill, for the purpose of promoting collaboration and innovation in the "emerging technology" and "life sciences" businesses in the State," as those terms are defined in the bill. A database is not to include any information that is determined by an institution of higher education, emerging technology business, or life sciences business to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected, including any research protected by intellectual property law. The portal may be hosted by an institution of higher education pursuant to an agreement entered into between the authority and an institution of higher education.

The portal is to provide: (1) a link to databases created by institutions of higher education that institutions of higher education determine to be useful to emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses, including, but not limited to, publicly-accessible academic research and development and patent databases; (2) a link to a database created by the authority providing information on grants, loans, tax incentives, and other types of assistance available to emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses from a State agency; (3) a link to a database created by the authority showing available industry research positions at emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses submitted by emerging technology businesses and life sciences businesses; and (4) a link to databases created by institutions of higher education containing information on publicly-accessible research being conducted at institutions of higher education in the fields of emerging technology and life sciences.