H-1657              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1157

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Niemi, Silver, Locke and Holland

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Trade & Economic Development.

AN ACT Relating to establishing a technology-based incubator facility; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that the successful commercialization of new innovations requires the systematic enhancement of the opportunities for entrepreneurs to refine their products and market them in the private sector.  Incubators which are related to university research are proving to be an excellent base for entrepreneurs and young companies to conduct problem solving, share support services, and market their products.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     "Center" means the Washington high-technology center.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The Washington high-technology center, as created in RCW 28B.20.285, shall analyze the feasibility of linking the development of a building and laboratory to an incubator facility.  Before a building design is completed and capital construction can begin the center shall:

          (1) Cooperate with the city of Seattle, department of community development, nonprofit research and related institutions, private developers, and other interested parties to determine whether a building for the Washington high-technology center could be built in a suitable fashion to incorporate an incubator facility;

          (2) Analyze the possibility of reducing building costs and building a facility off-campus in a suitable location to assist private industry and entrepreneurs to utilize the center's facilities; and

          (3) Produce a report by September 31, 1985, which details the costs and benefits of the center's linkage to an incubator including site costs, laboratory equipment, building specifications, support services, and types of research to be conducted by the center.  The report shall include a detailed discussion of the types of research which the center will engage in, including the market application of potential research, Washington's strengths in conducting the research, other competitors at other research institutions conducting similar research, and the level of private industry support for the research.  The report shall be made available to the governor and the ways and means committees of the house of representative and the senate.