The Florida Senate

240.539  Advanced technology research.--

(1)  It is the intent of the Legislature that greater collaboration exist between private industry and the universities of the state in the development and application of new technologies. The establishment of mechanisms to facilitate such collaboration in select areas is viewed as having significant potential for economic growth in Florida, since the application of new technologies considerably enhances the productivity and stability of Florida businesses.

(2)  For the purposes of this section, the term "high technology" means the application of new technological developments, singularly or in combination, to cause changes in the workplace and provide the technological basis for the society of the future.

(3)  The Enterprise Florida Innovation Partnership shall recommend to the Board of Regents for funding consideration by the Legislature research priorities in technological areas including, but not limited to, computer technology, lightwave technology, biomedical technology and sciences, materials sciences, microelectronics, sensors, or robotics. No later than October 1, 1989, and every third year thereafter, the partnership shall develop and submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the status of the research areas identified in this section and how each area affects the economic growth of the state. The Board of Regents shall allocate funds to priority research programs pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(4)  The Enterprise Florida Innovation Partnership shall make recommendations to the Board of Regents regarding the allocation of funds provided in the General Appropriations Act for research programs in advanced technology. Funds may be allocated for the purchase of equipment and fixtures, employment of faculty and support staff, provision of fellowships, and other purposes approved by the partnership and the university. No such funds shall be used for capital construction. Each designated research program shall match its allocation of advanced technology research funds with an amount at least equal to the allocation from private or public, nonstate funds.

(5)  The Board of Regents may allocate or provide for the investment of moneys provided in the General Appropriations Act for advanced technology research to the Enterprise Florida Innovation Partnership, and to universities or university-affiliated research agencies for the purpose of planning and program development for future designation as research programs in advanced technology. Such moneys shall be awarded based on the same application process as used in the designation of research programs and shall be awarded only to universities and institutions whose evaluations yield a reasonable expectation of future research program priority designation. No applicant shall receive more than one award per fiscal year pursuant to this subsection.

(6)  No university or university-affiliated program shall derive overhead from moneys awarded pursuant to this section.

History.--s. 7, ch. 85-196; s. 45, ch. 88-130; ss. 2, 4, ch. 88-134; s. 17, ch. 89-381; s. 81, ch. 90-360; s. 93, ch. 91-45; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 13, ch. 93-187; s. 1, ch. 95-230.