Scroll Top

Buono-Cunningham Bill To Promote Partnerships Between Higher Ed And Businesses To Foster Economic Growth Clears Committee

A view of the Senate Chambers from the 2010-2011 Senate Reorganization.
News & Releases Sandra Cunningham

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) and Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Hudson) to promote the establishment of partnerships between institutions of higher education and the business community to increase collaborative research and innovation was approved today in the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

“New Jersey’s colleges and universities are world-class institutions that educate some of the best and brightest in the nation. This legislation recognizes the economic potential for businesses to tap into these resources as a way to foster industry advancements, encourage innovation and make us more competitive in a global marketplace,” said Senator Buono. “Creating partnerships between the academic community and businesses will also make our institutions of higher education stronger in the area of research and development, bring new research funding and grants into our universities and allow our students to learn the skills needed to be successful in today’s workforce.”

The bill (S-1858) will implement some of the recommendations of the 2010 report by the New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO) entitled “Building Bridges between Academic Institutions, Business and Government to Bring Innovation to the Marketplace.” An independent public policy research affiliate of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, NJPRO surveyed business leaders, compared methods other states use to retain and attract firms, and recommended policies New Jersey could adopt to make its business environment friendlier.

“Creating partnerships between New Jersey’s business sector and the higher educational community is a win-win for the state – where the business community gains access to innovative research and expertise and students are provided real-world experiences with local businesses,” said Senator Cunningham, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. “Additionally, these collaborations will drive innovation in the state while helping to spur economic growth and to create new jobs at a time when our state truly needs them.”

Under the law, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) will serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities. In this capacity, the EDA will facilitate the exchange of information and foster collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation in the state.

In addition, the law would require the creation of a database to include the research and development efforts and resources of colleges and universities located in the state. The purpose would be to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The database would be created and maintained by the Secretary of Higher Education in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Business Action Center. The bill would also require each institution of higher education to assess the ability of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and to develop staff training in this area to improve the institution’s potential for the award of federal grants.

The Committee approved the bill with a vote of 3-0. It now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for further review.

Related Posts

Smith-Sweeney Bill To Authorize Open Space Bonding Approved By Budget Panel

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Environment Committee Chairman, Senator Bob Smith, and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would give voters in November the option to approve up to $400 million in open space borrowing was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today by a vote of 12-2, with one abstention.

“Since the 1960s, in good times and in bad, through Republican and Democratic administrations, New Jersey voters have approved every open space preservation bonding initiative put before them,” said Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “That’s a testament to just how important this cause is to the people of the Garden State. Open space preservation is an issue that transcends party politics and municipal and county boundaries, and I hope everyone can get behind efforts to protect and preserve undeveloped lands in the State.”

22 Jun 2009
Smith-Sweeney Bill To Authorize Open Space Bonding Approved In Senate

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Environment Committee Chairman, Senator Bob Smith, and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney which would give voters in November the option to approve up to $400 million in open space borrowing was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 26-7, receiving final legislative approval.

“Open space preservation is at the very core of maintaining our quality of life in the Garden State,” said Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “Well-maintained parks, pristine forests, protected farms and untainted watershed are a necessary alternative to overdevelopment and suburban sprawl. We owe it to future generations of New Jersey residents to protect at-risk open space, and ensure that the garden stays in the Garden State for many years to come.”

25 Jun 2009
Smith-Haines Measure To Call For Stop-Gap Open Space Bonding Introduced

TRENTON – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Bob Smith and Philip E. Haines which would ask voters to approve $300 million in stop-gap open space funding for the next two years was introduced and referred to the Senate Environment Committee today.

“As we continue discussions on a permanent funding mechanism for open space acquisition in New Jersey, we need to be constantly aware that the clock’s running out on the current pot of open space funding,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, and the Chairman of the Environment Committee. “If we allow funding to lapse, Green Acres, farmland and historic preservation are going to come to a screeching halt, and we’ll be forced to start from scratch in protecting open space from overdevelopment and suburban sprawl. Voters have consistently supported open space bonding at the ballot box, and we need to ask for their support again, to ensure that the progress we’ve made over the last four decades in protecting open space is not undone.”

19 May 2008
Smith-Gordon-Beach Bill To Authorize Open Space Bonding Signed Into Law

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Environment Committee Chairman, Senator Bob Smith, and Committee members, Senators Bob Gordon and Jim Beach which will give voters in November the option to approve up to $400 million in open space borrowing was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

“Simply put, New Jersey cannot afford the consequences if we fail to act to make an investment in open space preservation,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “Allowing programs like Green Acres and farmland preservation to lapse would be a huge setback for open space preservation, and would open the doors for developers to pave over sensitive open space throughout the State. This bonding initiative provides necessary stop-gap funding for our various open space preservation programs, and buys us a little more time to develop a consensus around permanent funding for open space in New Jersey.”

18 Aug 2009
Smith Bill To Authorize Open Space Bonding Approved In Committee

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Environment Committee Chairman, Senator Bob Smith, which would give voters in November the option to approve up to $600 million in open space borrowing was approved by the Environment panel today by a vote of 4-1.

“Open space preservation is absolutely vital to preserving the quality of life in New Jersey,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “As the most densely populated state in the nation, there is more pressure to build on every open area in the State than anywhere else in the country. While I believe we need a healthy, consistent and sustained effort to preserve open space through dedicated funding, this bill will make sure that pristine open space isn’t gobbled up by suburban sprawl before we can finally come to agreement on just what that dedicated funding should look like.”

07 May 2009
Sweeney-Riley Bill To Give Voters Chance To Approve Open Space Bonding Signed Into Law

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney and Assemblywoman Celeste Riley which will allow voters in November a chance to approve up to $400 million in open space preservation funding was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.

“New Jersey voters have made open space preservation a priority for the last four decades, approving every ballot question put before them, in good economic times and bad,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “In New Jersey – the most densely populated state in the nation – every acre of open space is absolutely precious, and we must do everything we can to preserve undeveloped land from suburban sprawl. Through this law, we are once-again asking voters to step up and give us the authority to protect endangered open space for many years to come.”

18 Aug 2009