Bill Text: NJ A5088 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "Manufacturing in Higher Education Act"; requires various State entities to promote manufacturing career pathways for students and provides assistance to manufacturing industry.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-12-07 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [A5088 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A5088-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
"Manufacturing in Higher Education Act"; requires various State entities to promote manufacturing career pathways for students and provides assistance to manufacturing industry.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the promotion of the manufacturing industry in higher education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, Title 34 of the Revised Statutes, and Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Manufacturing in Higher Education Act."
2. a. The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, the New Jersey Council of County Vocational Schools, and representatives of the business community, shall design a manufacturing career pathway to be offered through the county colleges and county vocational school districts to provide students interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing with the instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in the manufacturing or advanced manufacturing sectors.
b. The manufacturing career pathway required pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include traditional and advanced manufacturing processes and methods of production including, but not limited to, the machinery, technology, tools, and equipment used in a wide range of manufacturing industries.
3. a. The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall establish the New Jersey STEM Entrepreneur Fellowship Program in county colleges and four-year institutions of higher education.
b. The secretary shall work in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to fund no less than 20 fellowships, administered by the secretary, which focus on supporting entrepreneurs in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The fellowships may be provided to individuals who have proven to the secretary that they have an idea to create, advance or develop a product in the STEM field which will have a beneficial impact on society and will result in a self-sustaining business in the future.
The fellowships shall be issued for three years each and shall be used primarily to support the entrepreneurs in commercializing the idea and developing a well-structured business.
Priority will be given to fellowships which are submitted with the support of an incubator supported by the State of New Jersey or any of its public entities.
c. The secretary, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the New Jersey STEM Entrepreneur Fellowship Program to establish new businesses no later than five years after the approval of the first fellowship.
4. a. The Secretary of Higher Education shall establish and administer a "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Program." The program shall annually award $10 million to New Jersey public institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing or expanding programs in the manufacturing fields. The grants shall be allocated to public institutions of higher education on a competitive basis.
b. A public institution of higher education that receives a grant under the program shall use the funds to establish or expand programs and curricula in the fields of manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, or advanced manufacturing.
c. To be eligible for consideration of a grant award, a public institution of higher education shall submit an application to the Secretary of Higher Education, in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the secretary. A grant application shall include a complete description of the institution's specific plans and objectives for the use of the grant funds and any other information specified by the secretary.
d. The secretary shall establish selection criteria for the awarding of grant funds under the program, and shall award grants through a competitive process based upon review of the applications and subject to the availability of funds. The secretary shall establish the amount for each grant that is approved.
5. a. There is created within the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education a fund to be known as the "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Fund." The fund shall be used to provide grants to New Jersey public institutions of higher education under the "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Program" established pursuant to section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
b. The fund shall be annually credited with money appropriated by the State, any moneys received by the State from corporate donors or other private sector support, and any federal funds which may become available for higher education and manufacturing-related purposes.
6. The Secretary of Higher Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the purposes of section 2 through section 5 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
7. a. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, the Business Action Center in the Department of State, the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, and representatives of business and industry, shall establish and maintain a State-recognized list of industry-recognized credentials in the advanced manufacturing field to assist county vocational school districts, institutions of higher education, and the workforce development system in developing appropriate educational programs to enable students to more adequately meet the advanced technical training needs in this field.
b. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, the Business Action Center in the Department of State, the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, and representatives of business and industry, shall identify courses of study for careers in emerging manufacturing industries, including careers in industrial marketing, mechanical engineering, computer science, electronics, and mechatronics.
8. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, shall designate an employee of the Department of State to act as a liaison between the State and manufacturing businesses located in this State. The duties of the liaison shall be to assist manufacturing businesses by:
a. advertising manufacturing businesses' products or services nationally and internationally through the Business Action Center in the Department of State; and
b. establishing a business referral service where manufacturing businesses may be referred to other State, federal, or private business resource organizations, such as the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, the State's Small Business Development Centers, and other business organizations that provide specialized business development assistance, technology information, consulting management, and customized one-to-one counseling concerning business plans and technical assistance with significant business topics and issues.
9. a. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and other State departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and authorities, shall direct resources, create incentives, and provide technological, financial, and workforce development opportunities for manufacturing businesses.
b. The Secretary of State may call upon any department, authority, commission, board, office, division, or agency of the State to provide any information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). This may include, but not be limited to: the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for assistance with manufacturing business funding assistance programs; the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for assistance with developing workforce development strategies for manufacturing businesses; the Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Transit Corporation for assistance with enhancing public transportation operations for employees of manufacturing businesses; the Business Action Center in the Department of State for assistance with manufacturing business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts and advising on smart growth development strategies; and the Department of Community Affairs for assistance to manufacturing businesses participating in the urban enterprise zone program established by P.L.1983, c.303 (C.52:27H-60 et al.).
10. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in consultation with the Business Action Center created in the Department of State and an institution of higher education, may designate an institution of higher education or other entity as a manufacturing and production business resource center to provide services and assistance to manufacturing businesses to assist them to modernize, maximize their efficiency, and expand their production through the development and commercialization of innovative products.
b. The authority shall grant this designation to any institution of higher education or other entity that meets qualifications established by the authority. The authority shall base the qualifications upon the ability of the institution or entity to provide specialized services and information to manufacturing and production facilities, which may include specialization in discrete aspects of the manufacturing and production process, or to provide more comprehensive services.
c. The authority shall refer a manufacturing business deemed eligible by the authority to a manufacturing and production business resource center or other organization qualified to provide services to small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses, which services shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) assistance with product development, including:
(a) a preliminary technical evaluation of a product and any design and materials issues,
(b) assistance in providing a connection with available research and development resources, prototype development resources, and product evaluation and testing resources, and
(c) the selection, implementation and optimization of available technologies;
(2) assistance in production planning and inventory control;
(3) assistance in identifying appropriate factory and office automation and modernizing production capacity;
(4) assistance in identifying sources of supply, including any Internet-based listing of New Jersey-based suppliers of goods and services;
(5) assistance in establishing a quality assurance program;
(6) assistance with market analysis and development, including assistance in identifying export opportunities, provided by the Business Action Center;
(7) assistance with distribution issues;
(8) assistance in developing the skills of the existing workforce or procuring skilled workers;
(9) referral to financing resources; and
(10) assistance in preliminary patent and trademark searches.
11. a. There is created in the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission, established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1989, c.293 (C.34:15C-2), the New Jersey Advanced Manufacturing Council.
b. The council shall consist of 11 members who are individuals with experience in the fields of labor, education, or workforce development or training. The 11 members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows: two members shall be recommended by the Senate President; two members shall be recommended by the Speaker of the General Assembly; one member shall be recommended by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one member shall be recommended by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and, five members shall be recommended by the Governor. The members shall be appointed for five-year terms, except, of the members first appointed, four members shall be appointed for five-year terms, four member shall be appointed for three-year terms, and three members shall be appointed for four-year terms. Each member shall hold office for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring in the membership of the council for any reason other than the expiration of the term shall have a term of appointment for the unexpired term only. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A member may be appointed for any number of successive terms. Any member appointed may be removed from the council by the appointing authority, as the case may be, for cause, after a hearing and may be suspended by the appointing authority pending the completion of the hearing.
c. Members of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions may be adopted by the council at a council meeting by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members. The council shall elect from its members a chairperson. Advanced notification for, and copies of the minutes of, each meeting of the council shall be filed with the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly.
12. The council shall:
a. convene and enable industry-led, private-public partnerships focused on engaging New Jersey institutions of higher education in manufacturing innovation;
b. design and implement an advanced manufacturing initiative to facilitate collaboration and information sharing across State departments and agencies;
c. assist private companies to enhance technological transfer in New Jersey manufacturing industries to help companies overcome technical obstacles to scaling up production of new technologies; and
d. submit an annual report to the Governor, to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and to the State Employment and Training Commission, of its assessments and recommendations to enhance State policy related to the advanced manufacturing industry in New Jersey.
13. The council is authorized to:
a. hold public hearings;
b. employ staff, responsible to the Executive Director of the State Employment and Training Commission, to assist the council to implement the purposes of this act; and
c. avail itself of the services of the employees and have access to the records of any instrumentality of the State, as necessary or useful to implement the purposes of this act.
14. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires various State entities to promote manufacturing career pathways for students and provides assistance to the manufacturing industry. Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, the New Jersey Council of County Vocational Schools, and representatives of the business community, will design a manufacturing career pathway to be offered through the county colleges and county vocational school districts to provide students interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing with the instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in the manufacturing or advanced manufacturing sectors. The manufacturing career pathway will include traditional and advanced manufacturing processes and methods of production including, but not limited to, the machinery, technology, tools, and equipment used in a wide range of manufacturing industries.
Under the bill, the secretary, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, will establish the New Jersey STEM Entrepreneur Fellowship Program in county colleges and four-year institutions of higher education to fund no less than 20 fellowships, administered by the secretary, which focus on supporting entrepreneurs in the STEM fields. The fellowships may be provided to individuals who have proven to the secretary that they have an idea to create, advance or develop a product in the STEM field which will have a beneficial impact on society and will result in a self-sustaining business in the future. The fellowships will be issued for three years each and will be used primarily to support the entrepreneurs in commercializing the idea and developing a well-structured business.
The bill also directs the secretary to establish and administer a "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Program." The program will annually award $10 million to New Jersey public institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing or expanding programs and curricula in the fields of manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, or advanced manufacturing. The grants will be awarded to public institutions of higher education through a competitive process.
The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, the Business Action Center in the Department of State, the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, and representatives of business and industry, to establish and maintain a State-recognized list of industry-recognized credentials in the advanced manufacturing field. The list will assist county vocational school districts, institutions of higher education, and the workforce development system in developing appropriate educational programs to enable students to more adequately meet the advanced technical training needs in this field. Those entities will also identify courses of study for careers in emerging manufacturing industries, including careers in industrial marketing, mechanical engineering, computer science, electronics, and mechatronics.
Under the bill, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, will designate an employee of the Department of State to act as a liaison between the State and manufacturing businesses located in this State. The duties of the liaison will be to assist manufacturing businesses by:
· advertising manufacturing businesses' products or services nationally and internationally through the Business Action Center; and
· establishing a business referral service where manufacturing businesses may be referred to other State, federal, or private business resource organizations.
The Secretary of State is to work with State departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and authorities to direct resources, create incentives, and provide technological, financial, and workforce development opportunities for manufacturing businesses.
The bill also provides that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, in consultation with the Business Action Center and an institution of higher education, may designate an institution of higher education or other entity as a manufacturing and production business resource center to provide services and assistance to manufacturing businesses to assist them to modernize, maximize their efficiency, and expand their production through the development and commercialization of innovative products. Under the bill, the authority will refer a manufacturing business deemed eligible to a manufacturing and production business resource center or other organization qualified to provide services to small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses. The bill sets forth the various services that will be provided by the manufacturing businesses.
The bill also establishes in the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission, the New Jersey Advanced Manufacturing Council. The council will consist of 11 members who are individuals with experience in the fields of labor, education, or workforce development or training. The bill directs the council to:
· convene and enable industry-led, private-public partnerships focused on engaging New Jersey institutions of higher education in manufacturing innovation;
· design and implement an advanced manufacturing initiative to facilitate collaboration and information sharing across State departments and agencies;
· assist private companies to enhance technological transfer in New Jersey manufacturing industries to help companies overcome technical obstacles to scaling up production of new technologies; and
· submit an annual report to the Governor, to the Legislature, and to the State Employment and Training Commission, of its assessments and recommendations to enhance State policy related to the advanced manufacturing industry in New Jersey.
