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Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025 SENATE BILL NO. 2256 (Senators Sorvaag, Patten, Sickler, Davison) (Representatives Nathe, Swiontek) AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 54-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a research technology park grant program; to provide an appropriation; and to provide for a report. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA: SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 54-17 of the North Dakota Century Code is created and enacted as follows: Research technology park grant program - North Dakota state university - Report. 1. The industrial commission shall administer the research technology park grant program. Subject to legislative appropriations, the industrial commission shall distribute grant funding to the research technology park at North Dakota state university. The research technology park shall use the funds in accordance with this section. 2. The research technology park at North Dakota state university is created to conduct exploratory, transformational, and innovative research and product development activities that advance intelligent autonomous mobile equipment opportunities and benefit the state's economy and environment through: a. Exploratory research and development of technologies and methodologies that facilitate the prudent development and efficient use of the state's autonomous agriculture resources and defense capabilities; b. Access to advanced robotics and artificial intelligence expertise for timely scientific and engineering activities to support the state's interests; and c. Education and outreach related to the state's advanced technology resources, including the advancement of engineering and technical readiness. 3. Each biennium, the research technology park shall develop a plan for the use of funds received under this section, including industry matching requirements. The plan must be approved by the industrial commission. 4. The research technology park may: a. Select research topics and projects; b. Enter contracts or agreements with other institutions of higher education to support the selected research topics and projects; c. Enter contracts or agreements with federal, private, and nonprofit organizations to carry out the selected research topics and projects; and d. Accept donations, grants, contributions, and gifts from any source to finance the selected research topics and projects. 5. Annually, the research technology park shall report all research activities, product development, and accomplishments to the industrial commission and the legislative S. B. NO. 2256 - PAGE 2 management. Upon request, the research technology park shall report to the appropriations committees of the legislative assembly on the use of funding under this section. SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION - INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION - STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS FUND - RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY PARK GRANT PROGRAM - ONE-TIME FUNDING. There is appropriated out of any moneys in the strategic investment and improvements fund in the state treasury, not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $10,000,000, or so much of the sum as may be necessary, to the industrial commission for the purpose of providing grants under the research technology park grant program pursuant to section 1 of this Act, during the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027. Of the $10,000,000, the industrial commission shall distribute a grant of $5,000,000 to the research technology park without a matching requirement and may distribute a grant of up to $5,000,000 to the research technology park only to the extent the research technology park provides one dollar of matching funds from nonstate sources for each dollar of grant funding distributed under the program. The appropriation in this section is considered a one-time funding item. S. B. NO. 2256 - PAGE 3 ____________________________ President of the Senate ____________________________ Speaker of the House ____________________________ Secretary of the Senate ____________________________ Chief Clerk of the House This certifies that the within bill originated in the Senate of the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota and is known on the records of that body as Senate Bill No. 2256. Senate Vote: House Vote: Yeas 31 Yeas 61 Nays 15 Nays 30 Absent 1 Absent 3 ____________________________ Secretary of the Senate Received by the Governor at ________M. on _____________________________________, 2025. Approved at ________M. on __________________________________________________, 2025. ____________________________ Governor Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025, at ________ o’clock ________M. ____________________________ Secretary of State
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