Sec. 4-124ff. Innovation Challenge Grant program. Council of Advisors on Strategies for the Knowledge Economy. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 4-124ff. Innovation Challenge Grant program. Council of Advisors on Strategies for the Knowledge Economy. (a) The Office of Workforce Competitiveness shall, within available appropriations and in consultation with the council established under subsection (b) of this section, establish a competitive "Innovation Challenge Grant" program to promote and encourage partnerships and collaborations involving technology-based business and industry with institutions of higher education and regional vocational-technical schools for the development of educational programs in emerging and interdisciplinary technology fields and to address related issues.

      (b) There is established a Council of Advisors on Strategies for the Knowledge Economy to promote the formation of university-industry partnerships, identify benchmarks for technology-based workforce innovation and competitiveness and advise the award process (1) for innovation challenge grants to public postsecondary schools and their business partners, and (2) grants under section 4-124hh. The council shall be chaired by the director of the Office of Workforce Competitiveness and shall include the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Higher Education, the Labor Commissioner, the executive directors of Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated and the Connecticut Development Authority and four representatives from the technology industry, one of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

      (P.A. 04-212, S. 1; P.A. 05-198, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 04-212 effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 05-198 amended Subsec. (b) by designating provisions re innovation challenge grants as Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (2) re grants under Sec. 4-124hh and expanding the council to include the executive directors of Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated and the Connecticut Development Authority, effective July 1, 2005.