SENATE DOCKET, NO. 994        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1720

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Karen E. Spilka

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship by partnering world-class innovators with state agencies.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 994        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1720

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship by partnering world-class innovators with state agencies.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General Laws as appearing in the 2012 official edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 7A the following new section:

Section 7B. Each secretary may, without regard to chapter 31, appoint an innovator-in-residence to provide services to the executive office for a period not to exceed 2 years. An innovator-in-residence shall be a full-time employee of the executive office and shall report directly to the secretary.   The duties of an innovator-in-residence shall include, but are not limited to,  assisting the executive office and agencies in improving outreach to small business and entrepreneurs to address their concerns and provide information regarding the work of the executive office and agencies;  provide recommendations on inefficient or duplicative programs, if any;  provide recommendations on methods to improve program efficiency and new initiatives;  facilitate meetings and forums to educate the executive office and agencies about small business needs and concerns and to educate entrepreneurs on programs or initiatives of the executive office and the agencies;  facilitate in-service training sessions for employees of the executive office and agencies on issues related to the impact of the work of the executive office and agencies on the success of entrepreneurs and small businesses; provide technical assistance or mentorship to small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

A person appointed to the position of  innovator-in-residence shall be recognized by their industry peers as successful in their field; have demonstrated success in working with small businesses and entrepreneurs; and have developed, invented, or created a product and brought the product to the marketplace.

SECTION 2. Chapter 7 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after section 4R the following new section:

Section 4S.  The secretary may convene a working group of the innovators-in-residence appointed under section 7B of chapter 6A to discuss best practices, experiences, obstacles, and opportunities in each of the executive offices where the entrepreneurs in residence serve, and to make recommendations for collaboration among the executive offices in order to improve programs and initiatives which impact small businesses.