H-4210.1          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 2932

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Cantwell, Forner, Rasmussen, Ludwig and Paris

 

Read first time 02/03/92.  Referred to Committee on Trade & Economic Development.Revising the Washington technology center.


     AN ACT Relating to the Washington technology center; amending RCW 28B.20.285; and declaring an emergency.

 

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

 

     Sec. 1.  RCW 28B.20.285 and 1983 1st ex.s. c 72 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

     ((A)) (1) The Washington ((high-technology)) technology center is created to be a collaborative effort between the state's colleges and universities, private industry, and government.  The center shall be headquartered at the University of Washington.  The mission of the Washington technology center shall be to perform research, and to help implement its commercialization, on a state-wide basis that benefits the intermediate and long-term economic vitality of the state of Washington, and to develop and strengthen university-industry relationships through the conduct of research that is primarily of interest to Washington-based companies or state economic development priorities.  The Washington ((high-technology)) technology center shall ((provide)):  (((1) An interdisciplinary program to support major high-technology education and research initiatives within the state))

     (a) Perform research supportive of state science and technology needs and objectives, particularly as they relate to state industries; (((2) the resources necessary for research and development programs in high technology))

     (b) Provide leading edge collaborative research and technology transfer opportunities, primarily to state industries; (((3) quality))

     (c) Provide opportunities for training ((for advanced)) undergraduate and graduate students ((in high technology)) through direct involvement in research and industry interactions;

     (d) Emphasize and develop nonstate support of the Washington technology center's research mission; and (((4) interdisciplinary approaches to instruction and research in high-technology fields))

     (e) Provide a forum for effective interaction between the state's technology-based industries and its academic research institutions through promotion of faculty collaboration with the state's industries, particularly within the state.

     ((The Washington high-technology center shall be administered by the board of regents with the advice of the high-technology coordinating board)) The department of trade and economic development shall provide guidance to the Washington technology center regarding development of the center's strategic plan.  The department shall be responsible to the legislature for the contractual performance of the center.  Under contract with the department of trade and economic development, the University of Washington, through the board of regents, shall be responsible for the administration of the Washington technology center.  The Washington technology center's board of directors shall be responsible for the policy making and oversight of the operations of the center.  The center's executive director shall report to the center's board of directors.  The Washington technology center shall report quarterly, through the office of the provost at the University of Washington, to the department of trade and economic development regarding the center's activities, and the center shall submit annually to the department an updated strategic plan and a statement of performance measured against the mission, roles, and contractual obligations of the Washington technology center.  The University of Washington shall make the facilities of the Washington ((high-technology)) technology center available to other institutions of higher education when specific program needs so require.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.      This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.