07 LC 35
0608S
The
House Committee on Special Rules offers the following substitute to HR
662:
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the House Georgia Bioeconomic Development Study Committee; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
bioscience technologies form the foundation of a new bioeconomy and are driving
innovations in healthcare, agriculture, renewable energy resources, industrial
production, environmental management, and national security; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia has established tremendous university research and industrial
developments which are necessary to be a leader among the many states that are
already constructing infrastructures for a bioeconomy; and
WHEREAS,
in the twenty-first century bioeconomy race, the competition is intense for both
innovative ideas and the capital and talent to commercialize them, and while
Georgia has successfully built research universities that are globally
competitive, the state has failed to support commercializing the technologies
that spring from such valuable inspirations; and
WHEREAS,
this state loses potential return on its research investment to other states
that have developed plans and infrastructures to support bioeconomic
development; and
WHEREAS,
this state cannot afford to leave the development of a bioeconomy to chance, for
each year Georgia fails to act, the state falls further behind the competition
and Georgia loses its substantial investment in university research programs;
and
WHEREAS,
Georgia is also missing the opportunity to take advantage of its investment in
its students by failing to link science with meaningful careers in Georgia and
this vital human resource is often lost to other states which offer such career
opportunities; and
WHEREAS,
in order to maximize the return on this state´s research assets, improve
workforce education and attract technologies and companies from outside the
state, Georgia must be an aggressive partner with the private sector;
and
WHEREAS,
it is predicted that improvements in Georgia´s bioeconomic infrastructures
would create 25,000 to 50,000 jobs in Georgia over the next 20 years;
and
WHEREAS,
to become a leader in the bioeconomy Georgia must unite government, industry,
and universities together in a comprehensive effort, thereby tying the
state´s investments in university research, commercialization, and economic
development to measurable improvements in job growth, increases in tax revenues,
and improvements in education, health, and the overall quality of life for all
of Georgia´s citizens.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that there is created
the House Georgia Bioeconomic Development Study Committee. The committee shall
consist of five members representing the life sciences industry, government, and
universities who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. Of these five members, there shall be at least one each of the
following: a member of a public or private university with experience in the
area of biological research, an individual experienced in the business of
bioscience technologies, and three members of the House of Representatives. The
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint the chairperson.
Appointments shall be made by the respective appointing authorities no later
than June 1, 2007. The committee shall meet at least five times per year at the
call of the chairperson or upon the request of at least three of its members.
At least one meeting shall be designated as a summit hosted by the committee
which shall be held no later than August 2007. The bioeconomic summit shall
bring together government, university, and industry leaders in an attempt to
negotiate the details of enabling legislation and endorse its legislative
proposals for the 2008 session of the Georgia General Assembly.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall have the following duties and
responsibilities:
(1)
To review the need for enabling legislation and make recommendations, if any,
for improvements in existing provisions to the Georgia General
Assembly;
(2)
To study the need for a venture capital fund that would invest in creating,
expanding, and recruiting companies and technologies in Georgia and make
recommendations regarding the same;
(3)
To study the need for a facilities fund for the creation of infrastructure to
support bioscience industry growth and to make recommendations regarding the
same;
(4)
To study the need for the establishment of a commercialization institute to
attract and train managerial talent, to coordinate life sciences workforce
training, and to be a single point of contact for the cooperation of government,
universities, and industry in building the bioeconomy and to make
recommendations regarding the same;
(5)
To consider the need for a state authority for bioeconomic development in
Georgia which may be designated the Georgia Bioeconomic Development Authority;
and
(6)
To consider the need for a permanent board to oversee the operations of a
Georgia Bioeconomic Development Authority.
Other
matters to be considered by the committee shall include the study of public
awareness of bioeconomic development, funding of an authority, support for
biomedical research, legal implications such as intellectual property rights of
the state and the researchers whose research is supported or funded with state
funds, objective criteria for measuring increased economic activity, and funding
considerations including private sources for funding.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall identify the opportunities
presented by BIO 2009 International Convention as a showcase to the global
community of the state´s life sciences industry and initiatives in
healthcare, agriculture, bioenergy, forestry, environmental management, and
national security. The committee shall develop an analysis to consider
allocating sufficient funding for the state to participate in the conference and
take advantage of this economic opportunity with the added goal of placing
Georgia and Atlanta in a four-year rotation as host of this international
convention, the largest life sciences conference in the world.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee
shall not receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of interim
legislative committees nor shall any member receive a per diem allowance or any
other cost allowance or reimbursement for attending meetings or other functions
or activities relating to service on the study committee. In the event the
committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions
for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before
December 31, 2007. Copies of the report shall be provided to the Speaker of the
House. The committee shall stand abolished on February 15, 2008.