BILL NUMBER: AB 1733INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hill (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Anderson, Block, Caballero, Coto, Fletcher, Fong, Galgiani, Harkey, Hayashi, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, and Villines) (Coauthor: Senator Wyland) FEBRUARY 4, 2010 An act to add Section 12019.5 to the Government Code, relating to state government. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1733, as introduced, Hill. Director of California Biotechnology Retention and Recruitment: duties. Existing law authorizes the Governor to appoint and fix the salaries of assistants and other personnel as the Governor deems necessary for his or her office. This bill would require the Governor to create, within the Office of the Governor, the position of Director of California Biotechnology Retention and Recruitment, as specified. The bill would make the director responsible for serving as an informational resource for biotechnology, life science, and medical companies, as specified. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) California is home to over 2,700 biotechnology companies employing over 260,000 people throughout the state. (b) California biotechnology companies are responsible for 1,200 approved treatments, and another 210 treatments are in the process of being approved. (c) California companies will invest fifty billion dollars ($50,000,000,000) in manufacturing equipment, jobs, and facilities to bring these 210 treatments to fruition. (d) There are more products in later-stage clinical trials in this state than anywhere else in the world. (e) It takes an average of 14 years and one billion two hundred million dollars ($1,200,000,000) to create a treatment. (f) A series of hearings conducted by the Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology during 2009 and 2010 revealed that California biotechnology companies need assistance with complying with regulatory requirements imposed by state and local governments. (g) The hearings also revealed that California biotechnology companies are locating satellite facilities and manufacturing facilities outside of California because other states are providing incentives and assistance that California does not provide. SEC. 2. Section 12019.5 is added to the Government Code, to read: 12019.5. (a) The Governor shall create within the Office of the Governor, using existing resources, the position of Director of California Biotechnology Retention and Recruitment. The director shall be appointed by, report directly to, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. (b) The director shall be responsible for both of the following: (1) Serving as an informational resource for biotechnology, life science, and medical companies in this state by helping them comply with state and local regulatory requirements. (2) Serving as an informational resource for biotechnology, life science, and medical companies located outside of this state that are interested in relocating within this state.