Governor Rell has signed many bills in the last few weeks and although it may seem that these new laws suddenly appear, they actually take months to complete the committee process with many versions along the way. As the leading Republican Senator on the General Assembly’s Commerce Committee, and an active member of several other legislative committees, I had a hand in developing several pro-business bills recently signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Of these bills, probably most familiar to state residents is the legislature’s creation of a 10-year, $100 million fund to encourage stem cell research in Connecticut. This landmark legislation, which I proudly voted for, is intended to help Connecticut’s bioscience industry engage in this still very new, but potentially life-saving, field. Equally important, this new law establishes a ban on human cloning and promotes ethical research standards. It is my hope, and the hope of my colleagues, that this ground-breaking new law will both generate jobs here in Connecticut and establish our state’s fine universities and bioscience companies as leaders in this exciting new field of research.

Also in the realm of research and technology, we passed a special act directing the Commissioner of Higher Education to consult with the state’s Office of Workforce Competitiveness to look into including nanotechnology, molecular manufacturing and advanced and developing technologies our colleges and universities. The General Assembly expects to see findings and recommendations by January. Nanotechnology deals with seemingly infinitesimally small materials in several fields, including physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. Developing an educated, prepared workforce is key to our state’s success in competing in these fields.

Governor Rell has also signed into law legislation directing Connecticut Innovations, Inc., to establish a new opportunities fund for investing in companies that are beginning to grow. The fund will accept investment of pension funds, foundations and other private venture capitol investors to support fledgling companies make the next steps of growth in jobs and product development. The General Assembly created Connecticut Innovations in 1989 to help grow the state’s entrepreneurial technology economy by investing in merging technology companies, providing other types of support to entrepreneurs, and conducting initiatives that address specific needs of the state’s technology sector. It is our hope that the creation of this new fund will support the ongoing success of Connecticut companies, which will in turn generate jobs and promote a healthy state economy.

I am also a strong supporter of legislation we passed this year that, among other positive things, will encourage students to go into research and development fields. This new law, also signed by Governor Rell, directs the state’s economic development agencies and the University of Connecticut to recommend a plan and budget for promoting technology transfer. Technology transfer is the process through which scientists and business people develop ways to use research and new technologies. Governor Rell and three legislative committees expect to see the plan by January 1 st. Ultimately, the state’s Office of Workforce Development will be involved with implementing the plan.

If you are interested in knowing more about these, and other, issues addressed by the General Assembly, I encourage you to visit out website at www.cga.ct.gov.. Of course, you can always call me at the Capitol at 1-800-842-1421 or send me an e-mail at Catherine.Cook@cga.ct.gov.