EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0799*
HOUSE BILL 799
C8 5lr3444
By: Delegates Vogel and Buckel
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Economic Development – Maryland Innovation Initiative University 2
Partnership Extension Program – Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Innovation Initiative University 4
Partnership Extension Program; authorizing certain universities to participate in 5
the Program; establishing eligibility criteria for project proposals to receive funding 6
under the Program; requiring the Governor to include an appropriation in the annual 7
budget bill for certain fiscal years for the Program; altering the purpose and contents 8
of the Maryland Innovation Initiative Fund; and generally relating to the 9
establishment of the Maryland Innovation Initiative University Partnership 10
Extension Program. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Economic Development 13
Section 10–454(a), (b), and (d), 10–455(a), and 10–457(a) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – Economic Development 18
Section 10–457(b) and (d) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
BY adding to 22
Article – Economic Development 23
Section 10–461 24
Annotated Code of Maryland 25
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 26
2 HOUSE BILL 799
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Economic Development 3
10–454. 4
(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
(b) “Commercialization” means the process of introducing a new product or 6
technology into the market. 7
(d) “Initiative” means the Maryland Innovation Initiative established under § 8
10–455 of this subtitle. 9
10–455. 10
(a) There is a Maryland Innovation Initiative. 11
10–457. 12
(a) There is a Maryland Innovation Initiative Fund. 13
(b) The purpose of the Fund is to provide funding for the purposes described in [§ 14
10–456] §§ 10–456 AND 10–461 of this subtitle. 15
(d) The Fund consists of: 16
(1) appropriations as provided in the State budget; 17
(2) contributions by the qualifying universities under § 10–455 of this 18
subtitle AND ELIGIBLE UNIVERS ITIES UNDER § 10–461 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; 19
(3) grants or funds from federal laboratories located in Maryland; 20
(4) interest or other income earned on the investment of money in the 21
Fund; and 22
(5) any other money accepted for the benefit of the Initiative. 23
10–461. 24
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 25
INDICATED. 26
HOUSE BILL 799 3
(2) “ELIGIBLE UNIVERSITY ” MEANS BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY AND 1
FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY. 2
(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND INNOVATION INITIATIVE 3
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP EXTENSION PROGRAM. 4
(B) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND INNOVATION INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY 5
PARTNERSHIP EXTENSION PROGRAM. 6
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EXPAND OP PORTUNITIES 7
FOR TECHNOLOGY VALID ATION, ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVE LOPMENT, AND 8
INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT AT ELIGIBLE UNIVERSI TIES. 9
(C) (1) THE INITIATIVE SHALL IMPL EMENT AND ADMINISTER THE 10
PROGRAM. 11
(2) THE INITIATIVE SHALL COLL ABORATE WITH AN E LIGIBLE 12
UNIVERSITY TO IDENTI FY AND SUPPORT INDUS TRY PARTNERSHIPS AND 13
COMMERCIALIZATION OP PORTUNITIES. 14
(D) TO QUALIFY FOR PARTIC IPATION IN THE PROGRAM, EACH ELIGIBLE 15
UNIVERSITY SHALL PAY AN ANNUAL CONTRIBUTI ON OF $50,000. 16
(E) (1) ONLY AN ELIGIBLE UNIV ERSITY MAY SUBMIT PROJ ECT 17
PROPOSALS FOR FUNDIN G UNDER THE PROGRAM. 18
(2) TO QUALIFY FOR A GRAN T UNDER THE PROGRAM, A PROJECT 19
PROPOSAL MUST : 20
(I) SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A NEW TECHNOLOGY –BASED 21
BUSINESS IN MARYLAND; 22
(II) ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY T OWARD COMME RCIALIZATION OF 23
A PRODUCT OR SERVICE ; 24
(III) FOSTER ENTREPRENEURI AL DEVELOPMENT AT TH E 25
ELIGIBLE UNIVERSITY ; 26
(IV) CREATE AN OPPORTUNIT Y FOR MEANINGFUL ECO NOMIC 27
IMPACT IN THE REGION AROUND THE ELIGIBLE UNIVERSITY; OR 28
(V) FOSTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE ELIGIBLE 29
UNIVERSITY AND AN IN DUSTRY PARTNER , INCLUDING: 30 4 HOUSE BILL 799
1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WITH COMMERCIALIZATI ON 1
POTENTIAL; AND 2
2. MATCHING FUNDS PROVI DED BY THE INDUSTRY 3
PARTNER. 4
(F) (1) THE INITIATIVE SHALL DEVE LOP CRITERIA TO REVI EW, 5
EVALUATE, AND RATE PROJECT PRO POSALS FOR FUNDING U NDER THE PROGRAM. 6
(2) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL DISTRI BUTE GRANTS TO 7
PROJECTS BASED ON TH E CRITERIA DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH P ARAGRAPH 8
(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 9
(G) (1) FOR FISCAL YEARS 2027 AND 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL 10
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET BILL AN APP ROPRIATION OF $500,000 FOR THE 11
PROGRAM. 12
(2) THE FUNDING PROVIDED IN THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE USED TO 13
SUPPLEMENT , NOT SUPPLANT , ANY FUNDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PROVIDE D 14
TO THE INITIATIVE. 15
(H) IN ADDITION TO INFORM ATION ON THE INITIATIVE INCLUDED I N THE 16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CORPORATION UNDER § 10–415 OF THIS SUBTITLE, ON OR 17
BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, THE CORPORATION SHALL REP ORT TO THE GENERAL 18
ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, 19
ON THE IMPLEMENTATIO N OF THE PROGRAM. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and, at the end of June 30, 2028, 22
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 23
of no further force and effect. 24