Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 314-S.F.No. 1437 
           An act relating to economic development; providing for 
          review of state-funded scientific and technologically 
          related research; creating an office of science and 
          technology within the department of energy and 
          economic development; creating a committee on science 
          and technology research and development and providing 
          for its powers and duties; proposing coding for new 
          law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J; repealing 
          Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 116J.94. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [116J.970] [SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OFFICE.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [DUTIES.] The commissioner shall establish 
an office of science and technology, which shall: 
    (1) provide assistance to the committee on science and 
technology research and development established in section 2; 
    (2) prepare and deliver to the legislature every January 
15, a science and technology annual report that shall contain: 
    (i) a list of the scientifically and technologically 
related research and development projects and development 
activities funded by a grant or loan of state money; 
    (ii) guidelines that the legislature may use in allocating 
state grant or loan money for scientifically and technologically 
related research and development projects, to include 
assessments of emerging technologies and those technologies that 
provide significant promise for the development of job-creating 
businesses; and 
    (iii) an analysis of the efficacy and completeness of the 
decentralized research peer review processes mandated in section 
2, subdivision 5, with special emphasis on whether or not 
scientifically and technologically related research and 
development projects in Minnesota are in conformance with the 
guidelines established in item (ii), and whether or not the 
scientifically and technologically related research and 
development projects have or will result in creating 
scientifically and technologically related jobs; 
     (3) keep a current roster of technology intensive 
businesses in the state; 
     (4) collect and disseminate information on financial, 
technical, marketing, management, and other services available 
to technology intensive small and emerging businesses, including 
potential sources of debt and equity capital; 
     (5) review the technological development potential of 
various regions of the state and cooperate with and make 
recommendations to the legislature, state agencies, local 
governments, local technology development agencies, the federal 
government, private businesses, and individuals for the 
realization of the development potential; 
    (6) sponsor and conduct conferences and studies, collect 
and disseminate information, and issue periodic reports relating 
to scientifically and technologically related research and 
development, and education in the state and represent the state 
at appropriate interstate and national conferences; and 
    (7) take other action as assigned by the commissioner. 
    Sec. 2.  [116J.971] [COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The committee on science and 
technology research and development consists of: 
    (1) a chair appointed by the governor to a four-year term; 
    (2) eight members appointed by the governor to six-year 
terms; 
    (3) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of 
representatives at the beginning of each biennium to a two-year 
term; 
    (4) one member appointed by the minority leader of the 
house of representatives at the beginning of each biennium to a 
two-year term; 
    (5) one member appointed by the majority leader of the 
senate at the beginning of each biennium to a two-year term; and 
    (6) one member appointed by the minority leader of the 
senate at the beginning of each biennium to a two-year term. 
    At least one member must be appointed from each of the 
regions established in subdivision 2. 
    Subd. 2.  [RURAL REGION REPRESENTATION.] The department of 
energy and economic development shall divide the part of the 
state located outside of the metropolitan area as defined in 
section 473.121, subdivision 2, into six regions.  A region's 
boundaries must be coterminous with the boundaries of one or 
more of the development regions established under section 
462.385. 
    Subd. 3.  [QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.] Members of the 
committee on science and technology research and development 
must be qualified in at least one of the five following areas:  
economic development, academic and applied research, the 
administration of research, the review of research processes, 
and the management and development of technology intensive 
companies.  The committee shall: 
    (i) advise upon and approve by a majority vote the 
guidelines required by section 1, clause (2), item (ii); 
    (ii) advise the director of the office of science and 
technology on the preparation of the analysis required by 
section 1, clause (2), item (iii); 
    (iii) approve the assignment of ad hoc advisory committees 
on science and technology research and development as needed; 
and 
    (iv) review and comment upon, if the committee considers it 
to be necessary, the reports of the ad hoc advisory committees 
and forward the reports to the director of the office of science 
and technology. 
    Subd. 4.  [AD HOC ADVISORY COMMITTEES.] To perform the acts 
required by section 1, clause (2), the committee on science and 
technology research and development may, from time to time, 
approve the creation and use of ad hoc advisory committees 
composed of 3 to 15 members each.  Members of the committee on 
science and technology research and development may be ad hoc 
committee members, but members of the permanent committee may 
not be a majority of an ad hoc committee. 
    Subd. 5.  [COMPENSATION.] Members of the committee on 
science and technology research and development and of the ad 
hoc advisory committees receive no compensation but payment of 
their expenses is governed by section 15.059, subdivision 6. 
    Subd. 6.  [PEER REVIEW PLANS.] A state agency, board, 
commission, authority, or institution that funds scientifically 
and technologically related research shall establish a peer 
review system to evaluate the research.  The committee on 
science and technology research and development shall recommend 
guidelines for establishing effective peer review.  An agency, 
board, commission, authority, or institution that funds 
scientifically and technologically related research shall, at 
least biennially, present to the committee on science and 
technology research and development or to ad hoc committees, as 
determined by the committee on science and technology research 
and development, a review and evaluation of the peer review 
process used in that organization. 
    Subd. 7.  [AUTHORITY TO PERFORM REQUESTED EVALUATIONS.] The 
governor, commissioner or director of the office of science and 
technology, speaker of the house of representatives, house of 
representatives minority leader, senate majority leader, senate 
minority leader, chair of the house of representatives 
appropriations committee, chair of the senate finance committee, 
or a member of the legislature considering the introduction or 
approval of legislation containing funding for scientifically 
and technologically related research and development, may 
request the committee on science and technology research and 
development to evaluate a loan or grant made or to be made or 
the proposed legislation for funding scientifically and 
technologically related research and development to determine 
(1) whether it complies with the guidelines required by section 
1, clause (2), item (ii); (2) whether it is technically 
feasible; and (3) for development proposals, whether the 
proposal appears to have the potential for economic 
development.  Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the 
committee on science and technology research and development to 
perform these reviews. 
    Subd. 8.  [AUTHORITY FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT UPON RESEARCH 
AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.] Each agency, board, commission, 
authority or institution receiving an appropriation for the 
funding of scientifically and technologically related research 
and development must notify the office of science and technology 
within 60 days of making a loan or grant for scientifically or 
technologically related research and development.  The notice 
shall contain a summary of the nature of and significant 
objectives of the research and development project funded by a 
grant or loan.  The notice must also include information on the 
size and timing of previous grants or loans and anticipated 
additional funding needs.  The committee on science and 
technology research and development shall, at least once each 
biennium, review scientifically and technologically related 
research funded by a state agency, board, commission, authority, 
or institution to assess whether or not the research and 
development is conducted in accordance with the guidelines 
required by section 1, clause (2), item (ii).  The committee's 
assessment shall be sent to the legislature on or before January 
15 of every odd-numbered year. 
    Subd. 9.  [STAFF APPOINTMENTS.] The director of the office 
of science and technology shall appoint those staff members 
necessary to perform the functions of the science and technology 
division.  The director shall appoint in the unclassified 
service an executive director of the committee on science and 
technology research and development, who shall report to the 
director.  The executive director must hold a post-baccalaureate 
degree in scientific or technologically related studies, or 
demonstrate experience in technological policy formulation. 
    Sec. 3.  [RESEARCH LINE ITEMS REQUIRED.] 
    The commissioner of finance shall establish budget objects 
of expenditure that specifically identify money used for 
scientifically and technologically related research and 
development. 
    Sec. 4.  [INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.] 
    Notwithstanding section 2, subdivision 1, the governor 
shall make the following initial appointments:  the first chair 
to serve from July 1, 1987, to January 1, 1990; three members to 
serve from July 1, 1987, to January 1, 1993; three members to 
serve from July 1, 1987, to January 1, 1991; and two members to 
serve from July 1, 1987, to January 1, 1989. 
    Sec. 5.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 116J.94, is repealed. 
    Approved May 28, 1987