Sec. 32-245. Connecticut Commission on Business Opportunity, Defense Diversification and Industrial Policy. Economic renewal plan for Connecticut to be developed. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 32-245. Connecticut Commission on Business Opportunity, Defense Diversification and Industrial Policy. Economic renewal plan for Connecticut to be developed. (a) There is created a Connecticut Commission on Business Opportunity, Defense Diversification and Industrial Policy which shall be within the Department of Economic and Community Development for administrative purposes only.

      (b) The commission shall consist of the following members: The Commissioners of Economic and Community Development, Education and Higher Education and the Labor Commissioner or their designees; the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and exportation, or their designees; the president of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, or his designee; the president of the Connecticut Business and Industries Association or his designee; the president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO or his designee; one member representing a large manufacturing concern and one member representing a financial institution, appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; one member representing a large business that is heavily dependent on prime defense contracts or subcontracts and one member representing a small business that is heavily dependent on prime defense contracts or subcontracts appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; one member representing a small manufacturing concern appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; one member representing a large service-related business appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives; one member representing a small service-related business appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; and one member representing an educational institution appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. The members who are not serving ex-officio shall serve for a term of two years, commencing July 1, 1990, and biennially thereafter, and until their successors have been duly qualified. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson for the commission from its membership.

      (c) The commission shall develop a plan for the economic renewal of Connecticut. The plan shall include strategies for (1) the restoration and growth of manufacturing in the state, with the objective of ending the loss of manufacturing jobs and causing an increase in such jobs within five years following development of the plan; (2) the retention and expansion of the state's economic base industries; (3) the coordination of economic development policy with capital investment in both public and private sectors; and (4) the need for regional approaches to economic development in the state.

      (d) In addition to the development of a plan for economic renewal as required under subsection (c) of this section, the commission shall: (1) Advise the General Assembly and the Department of Economic and Community Development on issues relating to (A) the diversification or conversion of defense-related industries, (B) planning for and development of the state's manufacturing base; (C) creation and implementation of an industrial policy for the state; and (D) the creation of a business climate in the state conducive to long-term planning and capital investment; (2) evaluate legislation which concerns the state's economy and the overall competitiveness thereof, the manufacturing and industrial sectors of the state's economy and businesses that are heavily dependent on prime defense contracts or subcontracts; (3) prepare and review the implementation of short-term and long-term strategies to assist businesses that are heavily dependent on prime defense contracts or subcontracts in modifying defense industry technology production capacity into nondefense related applications; (4) provide a forum to address and communicate business issues, including small business issues, to the public and private sectors; (5) foster opportunities for the development of partnerships between government and private enterprise in areas that significantly affect the state's economy; and (6) stimulate and review public and private assistance and initiatives to improve the competitiveness of Connecticut's economy.

      (P.A. 90-270, S. 27, 38; P.A. 91-226, S. 1, 4; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)

      History: P.A. 91-226 amended Subsec. (b) by adding to the commission the chairpersons and ranking members of the committee on commerce and exportation and the president of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering and providing that the chairperson shall be appointed by the governor and added Subsec. (c) providing that the commission shall develop a plan for the economic renewal of Connecticut; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development (Revisor's note: The phrase "Commissioners of Economic and Community Development, Education, Higher Education and Labor" was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioners of Economic and Community Development, Education and Higher Education and the Labor Commissioner" for consistency with customary statutory usage).

      See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".