Substitute Senate Bill No. 1021
Special Act No. 21-24
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
WORKING GROUP.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section: (1)
"Industry 4.0 technology" means the hardware, software and related
innovations associated with the digitization of the manufacturing
sector, allowing for the collection and analysis of all aspects of the
manufacturing operations leading to increased quality, efficiency,
productivity and security; and (2) "small and mid-sized manufacturers"
means businesses engaged in manufacturing having fewer than one
hundred fifty employees at any individual facility owned or operated
by the business.
(b) The chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce shall
appoint and convene a manufacturing technology working group to
develop a strategic plan to ensure that manufacturers in the state have a
strategy for the lean application and integration of Industry 4.0
technology into their product development and production processes.
(c) The working group shall:
(1) Compile comprehensive profiles, including mission statements Substitute Senate Bill No. 1021
Special Act No. 21-24 2 of 3
and lists of services, for all entities that receive state or federal funding
for the purpose of researching, developing, training, marketing,
consulting or deploying Industry 4.0 technology or associated services
directly to, or for the benefit of, manufacturing startups, small and mid-
sized manufacturers or other businesses primarily engaged in
manufacturing; and
(2) Conduct value-stream mapping and other analyses, as needed, to
assess the flow of services from the entities identified in subdivision (1)
of this subsection, to manufacturers in the state. Such analyses shall
include, but need not be limited to, (A) identification of the extent to
which such services complement, conflict with or duplicate each other,
(B) assessment of the relative impacts of such services on the
manufacturers served, (C) identification of gaps in services provided
relative to the Industry 4.0 technology needs of manufacturers, (D)
identification of barriers and recommendations for achieving the goals
of the working group described in subsection (b) of this section, and (E)
identification and assessment of participation levels in small business
innovation research programs and small business technology transfer
programs.
(d) The chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce shall
appoint members to the working group. Appointments to the working
group shall include, but need not be limited to, representatives from the
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to commerce, the Governor's chief manufacturing
officer, representatives of entities described in subdivision (1) of
subsection (c) of this section, a representative of the Connecticut Center
for Advanced Technology, a representative of CONNSTEP,
representatives of at least two manufacturers having fewer than
seventy-five employees, representatives of at least two manufacturers
having not less than seventy-five employees and not more than one Substitute Senate Bill No. 1021
Special Act No. 21-24 3 of 3
hundred fifty employees, a representative of CTNext, a representative
of the Connecticut Manufacturers' Collaborative, a representative of the
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, a representative of the
Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, a representative of
The University of Connecticut and a representative of Central
Connecticut State University. The members of the working group
representing small and mid-sized manufacturers shall comprise not less
than thirty-three per cent of the working group and manufacturers shall
comprise not less than fifty per cent of the working group.
(e) The members appointed to represent the Connecticut Center for
Advanced Technology and CONNSTEP shall cochair the work ing
group. The cochairs shall schedule the first meeting of the working
group not later than August 31, 2021.
(f) Not later than March 15, 2022, the working group shall submit a
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general
statutes, on its progress in accomplishing the goals set forth in
subsection (b) of this section to the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce.
Such report shall identify any barriers to accomplishing the goals set
forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(g) Not later than October 1, 2022, the working group shall submit a
strategic plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the
general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce that
includes data, findings and legislative proposals to accomplish the goals
set forth in subsection (b) of this section. The working group shall
terminate on the date it submits such report or October 1, 2022,
whichever is later.