1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to higher education; leveraging the 
  1.3             University of Minnesota's research capabilities; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [NORTHSTAR RESEARCH COALITION.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [PARTNERSHIP.] The University of Minnesota 
  1.8   is requested to establish a partnership with private industry to 
  1.9   leverage the university's research capabilities into economic 
  1.10  development results through the creation of a nonprofit, 
  1.11  tax-exempt corporation to be known as the Northstar Research 
  1.12  Coalition.  The money for projects funded under this initiative 
  1.13  must be used to: 
  1.14     (1) establish endowed faculty chairs in the area of 
  1.15  technology-based research; 
  1.16     (2) purchase equipment for research laboratories; and 
  1.17     (3) fund research projects consistent with priorities 
  1.18  established by the partnership. 
  1.19     Subd. 2.  [COALITION DUTIES.] The duties of the coalition 
  1.20  include: 
  1.21     (1) identifying technology-based research projects that 
  1.22  have the potential to create significant opportunities for 
  1.23  economic development and industrial growth in the state; 
  1.24     (2) strengthening the university's research capabilities in 
  1.25  subject areas associated with emerging technology-based 
  2.1   industries; 
  2.2      (3) expanding the research capacity of the university 
  2.3   through the creation of opportunities for the university to 
  2.4   assist private enterprises in emerging technology-based 
  2.5   industries; 
  2.6      (4) promoting the transfer of technology from the research 
  2.7   laboratory to commercial application by businesses; 
  2.8      (5) developing application procedures for, reviewing, and 
  2.9   prioritizing research projects seeking funding under this 
  2.10  initiative; and 
  2.11     (6) allocating state and nonstate money to the projects. 
  2.12     Subd. 3.  [COALITION REPRESENTATION.] The incorporating 
  2.13  documents of the Northstar Research Coalition must provide for 
  2.14  equal representation of university and private sector interests 
  2.15  on the coalition's board of directors and provide that changes 
  2.16  in the governance structure require a super majority of the 
  2.17  board.  Private sector members of the board must have an 
  2.18  expertise in the technology research needs of the state and not 
  2.19  be affiliated with the university. 
  2.20     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.21     $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 1999 from the 
  2.22  general fund to the board of regents of the University of 
  2.23  Minnesota to fund its contribution to the Northstar Research 
  2.24  Coalition.  The commissioner of finance may not release the 
  2.25  money for this appropriation until the university presents 
  2.26  evidence that: 
  2.27     (1) a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, to be known as the 
  2.28  Northstar Research Coalition, has been established; and 
  2.29     (2) there is a match, equal to at least the appropriation 
  2.30  amount, from nonstate sources.