PRINTER'S NO. 3745
No. 2689 Session of 1988
INTRODUCED BY DORR, LINTON, WASS, SCHULER, HERMAN, WOGAN,
G. SNYDER, CLYMER, GEIST, JOHNSON, FOX, E. Z. TAYLOR, PERZEL,
RAYMOND, COWELL, BOOK, GODSHALL, FARMER, D. W. SNYDER,
GLADECK, BUSH, S. H. SMITH, STUBAN, LANGTRY, McHALE,
KUKOVICH, ANGSTADT, MICOZZIE, BOWSER, CIVERA, VAN HORNE,
CORNELL, PRESTON, McVERRY, BURD, VROON, NOYE, FLICK AND
HECKLER, SEPTEMBER 28, 1988
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND COMMERCE,
SEPTEMBER 28, 1988
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled
2 "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the
3 executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the
4 Executive Department thereof and the administrative
5 departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,
6 including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or
7 Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or
8 authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative
9 departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and
10 duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative
11 officers, and of the several administrative departments,
12 boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the
13 Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive
14 and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of
15 certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and
16 other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,
17 and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the
18 number and compensation of the deputies and all other
19 assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and
20 commissions shall be determined," further providing for the
21 powers and duties of the Board of the Ben Franklin
22 Partnership Fund.
23 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
24 hereby enacts as follows:
25 Section 1. Section 2503-B of the act of April 9, 1929
1 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929,
2 amended December 6, 1982 (P.L.774, No.223), is amended to read:
3 Section 2503-B. Duties and Powers of the Board of the Ben
4 Franklin Partnership Fund.--(a) The Board of the Ben Franklin
5 Partnership Fund is authorized to promote, stimulate and
6 encourage (i) basic and applied scientific research and
7 development in Pennsylvania and (ii) scientific and
8 technological education in Pennsylvania, which may reasonably be
9 expected to advance the Commonwealth's economic growth and
10 welfare. In addition, the board shall, upon request, provide
11 advice to the Governor and the executive agencies concerning
12 scientific, technological and engineering matters, which relate
13 to the economic growth and the health, safety and welfare of the
14 Commonwealth and its citizens; shall establish a program to
15 assist Pennsylvania small businesses to enter into exporting
16 activities; and may establish advanced technology centers which
17 shall serve as university-based consortiums between business,
18 universities and government to provide advanced technology
19 research and development, training, education and related
20 activities which show significant potential in diversification
21 of Pennsylvania's economy and the State's economic growth.
22 (b) With the approval of the Governor, the board is
23 authorized to enter into mutually satisfactory contracts,
24 agreements or grants with educational institutions, nonprofit
25 institutions and organizations, business enterprises and other
26 persons concerned with scientific and technological research,
27 and development in the Commonwealth, as well as any State or
28 Federal agency, to foster and support scientific and
29 technological research, development, exporting, education and
30 promotion of applied advanced technology activities. The board
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1 may, subject to the approval of the Governor, make grants to
2 educational institutions, nonprofit institutions and
3 organizations, and other persons for the same purposes. The
4 board may sponsor and conduct conferences and studies, collect
5 and disseminate information, and issue periodic reports relating
6 to scientific and technological research, development, and
7 education in the Commonwealth, including grants for Governor's
8 chairs to Pennsylvania colleges and universities in the field of
9 new materials; maintain registers and inventories of scientific
10 and technological personnel and facilities, including but not
11 limited to scientific libraries and data centers. It may receive
12 gifts, grants, bequests or devises from any source, including
13 funds from the Federal government.
14 (c) The board may enter into a matching grant program,
15 involving consortiums of college or university and private
16 sector organizations for the purposes of establishing, operating
17 and promoting advanced technology centers throughout the
18 Commonwealth. Such centers shall receive no more than fifty per
19 centum (50%) of their financial support from this board.
20 Applicants for funds provided under this section shall secure
21 financial commitments from profit and nonprofit groups and
22 organizations, including the Federal government or local
23 political subdivisions and shall be required to submit
24 applications in accordance with policies and criteria issued by
25 the board. Such centers shall utilize to the extent possible,
26 existing or new private businesses operating or willing to
27 operate in the fields of expertise needed to accomplish the
28 purposes of the center. Eligible purposes which the board may
29 fund under this matching grant program include, but are not
30 limited to:
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1 (1) Development and strengthening of joint research and
2 development efforts including facilities for advanced
3 technologies activities, equipment, personnel, land and related
4 activities, which will lead to new technologies which will
5 create or preserve jobs.
6 (2) Providing training and curriculum development related to
7 advanced technology in order to provide a skilled work force to
8 secure employment in advanced technology industries.
9 (3) Technical assistance and technology transfer activities
10 on an areawide or Statewide basis to transfer research and
11 development activities into the marketplace.
12 (4) Assistance through small business incubators, including,
13 but not limited to space, services and technical assistance.
14 (5) Market development, feasibility studies and other
15 activities related to increasing jobs in advanced technology
16 industries.
17 (6) Staff support for advanced technology councils or other
18 mechanisms to encourage labor, business, university and
19 governmental linkages in promoting advanced technology
20 industrial diversification.
21 (7) Facilitate establishment of technology parks, which will
22 serve as locations for facilities devoted to research and
23 development and technology-intensive light manufacturing.
24 (8) Assistance for small businesses in Pennsylvania which
25 desire to export their products.
26 (d) The Ben Franklin Partnership Fund, together with its
27 statutory functions and duties, shall terminate and go out of
28 existence on December 31, 1988, unless reestablished or
29 continued by the General Assembly. Evaluation and review,
30 termination, reestablishment and continuation of the agency
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1 shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of the act of
2 December 22, 1981 (P.L.508, No.142), known as the "Sunset Act."
3 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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