Report Title:

High Technology Innovation Corporation; Exemptions

Description:

Exempts the High Technology Innovation Corporation from chapter 36, HRS, relating to the management of state funds, chapter 38, HRS, relating to the deposits of state funds, and chapter 40, HRS, relating to state audit and accounting. (HB3058 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

3058

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELaTING TO HIGH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION CORPORATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. In 2005 the legislature established the nonprofit high technology innovation corporation (HTIC) to assist the high technology development corporation in attracting high technology development opportunities to the state.

To help HTIC to carry out its responsibilities and objectives, the legislature exempted it from certain state laws. However, during its implementation, HTIC discovered that additional exemptions from state laws were necessary for it to establish private bank accounts outside of the state accounting and financial systems.

The purpose of this Act is to enable HTIC to meet its mission by:

(1) Exempting it from chapters 36, 38, and 40, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which relate to the management of state funds, deposits of public funds, and state audit and accounting respectively; and

(2) Authorizing it to establish operational bank accounts in out-of-state locations, including foreign denomination accounts.

SECTION 2. Section 206M-53, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§206M-53[]] Powers of the board. The high technology innovation corporation, under the direction of its board of directors, shall have the following general powers:

(1) To adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws governing the conduct of its business and the exercise of the powers and performance of duties granted to or imposed upon it by law;

(2) To sell, lease, rent, hold, maintain, use, and operate any property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible, in accordance with the conditions under which it was received;

(3) To enter into and perform contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions with the high technology development corporation or any other agency or political subdivision of the State, any private person, firm, partnership, association, company, or corporation, only as it may be necessary in the conduct of its business and on terms as it may deem appropriate; provided that the high technology innovation corporation shall not obligate any funds of the State except funds that have been appropriated to it by the legislature or transferred or contracted to it by the high technology development corporation or other agency or department of the state government. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the high technology innovation corporation may enter into and perform contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions with any agency or instrumentality of the United States, a foreign nation, a state, a territory or a possession, or with any political subdivision thereof, whenever the donating or granting agency or instrumentality determines that the high technology development corporation or any other agency of the State cannot as effectively and efficiently accomplish the purposes for which the contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions are being entered into; provided that the high technology innovation corporation shall not obligate any funds of the State except funds that have been appropriated or transferred to it or contracted for it;

(4) To receive by gifts, grants, devises, bequests, or otherwise, from private sources only, any property, real, personal, or mixed, intangible or tangible, absolutely or in trust, to be used and disposed of, either the principal or the income therefrom, in accordance with the conditions under which it was received; provided that no gift to the high technology innovation corporation shall be accepted unless approved or confirmed by its board of directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the high technology innovation corporation may receive gifts, grants, or awards from any agency or instrumentality of the United States, a foreign nation, a state, a territory or a possession, or from any political subdivision thereof, whenever the donating or granting agency or instrumentality determines that the high technology development corporation or any other agency of the State cannot as effectively and efficiently accomplish the purposes for which the gifts, grants, or awards are being made; provided that no gift to the high technology innovation corporation shall be accepted unless approved or confirmed by its board of directors;

(5) To have a corporate seal;

(6) To sue and be sued in its own name;

(7) To serve as trustee or beneficiary under terms of any gift, indenture, or will;

(8) To apply for, take out, receive by purchase or gift, hold, administer, and dispose of copyrights, patent rights, licenses, assignments of inventions, discoveries, processes, and other property, rights or interests therein, and the income thereof, absolutely or subject to conditions or trusts as may be attached thereto or be imposed thereon, and to obligate itself to perform and execute any and all conditions or trusts;

(9) To conduct programs, projects, research, studies, experiments, investigations, and tests in all fields of knowledge; to promote and develop the scientific and commercial value of inventions, discoveries, and processes; and to make, publish, and distribute the results thereof;

(10) To coordinate and correlate activities and projects of the high technology innovation corporation with the work of state agencies for the purpose of relating research work to the economic development of the State whenever practical or desirable;

(11) To stimulate and promote cooperative research projects and activities;

(12) To establish and maintain, or to assist in establishing and maintaining staff positions for the purpose of aiding in technology-based economic development, and to enter into agreements or contracts with other corporations, organizations, institutions, or persons for this purpose and to pay the necessary and appropriate expenses therefor;

(13) To prepare, print, or publish any manuscript, research article, report, study, discussion, reference, collection, or any pictorial or schematic representation or group or collection thereof, whether the same belongs to or is the work of any state agency or its employees, or the high technology innovation corporation or its employees or a contractor of the high technology innovation corporation. The printing or publication may be accomplished through whatever person, company, or agency is deemed most appropriate by the board of directors; [and]

(14) To establish operational bank accounts as may be necessary in the conduct of its business and its out-of-state offices, including accounts of foreign denomination in out-of-state locations, without the approval of the director of budget and finance or the comptroller of accounting and general services; and

[(14)] (15) To do any or all other acts reasonably necessary to carry out the objects and purposes of the high technology innovation corporation."

SECTION 3. Section 206M-54, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§206M-54[]] Innovation corporation; exempted from certain state laws. [To carry out the purposes and objectives of this part, the] The high technology innovation corporation shall be [granted flexibility in hiring its personnel and in handling and disbursing moneys by being] exempt from the following state laws [in the Hawaii Revised Statutes:

(1) Sections 36-27 and 36-30, relating to special fund reimbursements to the state general fund;]:

(1) Chapter 36, relating to the management of state funds;

(2) Chapter 38, relating to deposits of public funds;

(3) Chapter 40, relating to state audit and accounting;

[(2)] (4) Section 78-1, relating to public employment; and

[(3)] (5) Chapter 76, relating to civil service."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.