BILL REQ. #:  S-4769.1 

Read first time 01/30/2006.   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing a joint legislative task force on life sciences; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Washington has long been one of the nation's premier centers for the medical device and biotechnology industries, but that the growth in life sciences jobs in the state has stagnated since 2002. The legislature further finds that the state lags in investments in medical device and biotechnology manufacturing and has a relatively low supply of advanced degrees in the life sciences. It is the intent of the legislature to identify weaknesses in the state's support for the life sciences and to craft a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan for growth in the life sciences sector of the state's economy.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1)(a) The joint legislative task force on life sciences is established. The task force shall consist of the following voting members:
     (i) One member from each caucus of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate;
     (ii) One member from each caucus of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
     (iii) Nine members appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives as follows:
     (A) Three members representing life sciences industries. One of these members shall represent private research and development firms, one shall represent venture capital firms, and one shall represent a manufacturing firm;
     (B) Two members representing academic institutions;
     (C) One member representing a facility incubating life sciences businesses;
     (D) One member representing a life sciences industry association; and
     (E) One member representing a local government with model permit issuance processes.
     (b) The task force shall choose bipartisan cochairs from among its legislative members.
     (2) The task force shall review the weaknesses in the state's capacity to support development and growth of the life sciences sector and develop a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan to:
     (a) Enhance the life sciences research and development capacity in the state;
     (b) Foster university-industry collaboration;
     (c) Promote networking;
     (d) Increase the supply of risk capital;
     (e) Increase the number of research parks, incubators, and other facilities;
     (f) Enhance the business environment; and
     (g) Encourage permit streamlining.
     (3)(a) The task force shall use legislative facilities, and staff support shall be provided by senate committee services and the house of representatives office of program research.
     (b) The task force may hire additional staff or contract with additional persons who have specific technical expertise if such expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of the study.
     (4) Legislative members of the task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (5) The expenses of the task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives. Task force expenditures are subject to approval by the senate facilities and operations committee and the house of representatives executive rules committee, or their successor committees.
     (6) The task force shall complete its work by December 15, 2006.
     (7) This section expires December 31, 2006.