An Act To Support Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Maine's Economic Future
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1324
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: GROHMAN, MASON, POULIOT
Amends: 5 MRSA §15301, 5 MRSA §15303, 5 MRSA §15322

Legislative Document
No. 1324
H.P. 918
House of Representatives, April 4, 2017
An Act To Support Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Maine's 
Economic Future
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GROHMAN of Biddeford.
Cosponsored by Senator MASON of Androscoggin and
Representative: POULIOT of Augusta.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §15301, sub-§§1-A to 1-C are enacted to read: 
1-A.  Accelerator.  "Accelerator" means a program that supports entrepreneurs by 
providing training, business assistance and mentors in a time-limited training program. 
1-B.  Entrepreneurial support system.  "Entrepreneurial support system" means a 
network of organizations and programs in the State that facilitate entrepreneurial growth 
including capital providers, chambers of commerce, local governments, economic 
development organizations, universities, incubators and accelerators. 
1-C.  Incubator.  "Incubator" means a program that supports entrepreneurs by 
providing training, business assistance and mentors and office, manufacturing or 
laboratory space. 
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §15301, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A.  Technology transfer.  "Technology transfer" means the disclosure, protection 
and licensing of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade 
secrets. 
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §15303, sub-§6, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. AAA, 
§3, is amended to read: 
D.  Shall coordinate its priorities with the applied research and development efforts of 
the University of Maine System insofar as those efforts are in the targeted 
technologies and encourage, when possible and appropriate, companies and research 
laboratories receiving funds from the institute to establish joint ventures with the 
university system; and 
Sec. 4.  5 MRSA §15303, sub-§6, ¶E, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. AAA, 
§3, is amended to read: 
E.  Shall cooperate with the Department of Economic and Community Development, 
the Maine Science and Technology Foundation, the Maine Manufacturing Extension 
Program Partnership, the University of Maine System and others in their efforts to 
ensure that a complementary system of support services, including, as needed and 
appropriate, incubators, business assistance, technology transfer, market research, 
patent research and similar services, is in place and available to companies and 
research laboratories receiving funds from the institute.; 
Sec. 5.  5 MRSA §15303, sub-§6, ¶¶F to J are enacted to read: 
F.  May administer a technology center pursuant to section 15322; 
G.  May establish a program to promote and encourage the establishment, 
maintenance and operation of incubators and accelerators in the entrepreneurial 
support system by awarding grants and other forms of financial assistance to 
companies, nonprofit entities, economic development agencies, educational 
institutions, government agencies or other entities for programs that promote an 
entrepreneurial business environment or train or educate entrepreneurs. Support for a 
program under this paragraph must be awarded on a competitive basis, with 
effectiveness and effect on Maine's economy as the primary criteria. The 
administrative costs of a program under this paragraph are not management and 
related operating costs of the institute under section 15305; 
H.  May establish a program, in cooperation with the University of Maine System, to 
provide summer internship opportunities for college students in the entrepreneurial 
support system. Students must be selected on a competitive basis and be placed with 
companies, nonprofit entities, economic development agencies, educational 
institutions, government agencies or other entities in targeted technologies. The 
administrative costs of a program under this paragraph are not management and 
related operating costs of the institute under section 15305. 
I.  May establish a program, in collaboration with the Maine Innovation Economy 
Advisory Board under Title 10, section 949, to support the technology transfer 
activities of the University of Maine System, other postsecondary educational 
institutions in the State and nonprofit research institutes eligible for funding under an 
asset technology fund established and administered by the institute, to increase the 
level of patenting at the University of Maine System, other postsecondary institutions 
in the State and nonprofit research institutes and to promote the licensing of the 
patents, especially to new and existing companies with operations in the State. 
Support under this paragraph may include expenses associated with patenting and 
licensing. The administrative costs of a program under this paragraph are not 
management and related operating costs of the institute under section 15305; and 
J.  May establish a program in collaboration with the University of Maine School of 
Law to support the commercialization and manufacturing of innovations in the State 
by providing education and assistance with the patent process of the United States 
Patent and Trademark Office to companies, inventors and entrepreneurs in the State. 
The administrative costs of a program under this paragraph are not management and 
related operating costs of the institute under section 15305. 
Sec. 6.  5 MRSA §15322, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. C, §4, is 
amended to read: 
B.  The Department of Economic and Community Development shall determine 
assistance criteria and desired program outcomes and establish an application process 
so that technology centers possessing personnel with applicable skills can be chosen 
to best deliver services to technology-based entrepreneurs within a respective area 
unless the technology centers are administered by the Maine Technology Institute 
pursuant to section 15303, subsection 6, paragraph F. 
SUMMARY 
This bill expands the powers of the Maine Technology Institute by allowing the 
institute to establish programs that support organizations and programs in the State that 
facilitate entrepreneurial growth and internships with Maine's innovative businesses and 
protect intellectual property by the State's research institutions, companies and 
entrepreneurs.  This bill also allows the Maine Technology Institute to administer 
technology centers that support early-stage development of technology-based businesses 
that are currently administered by the Department of Economic and Community 
Development.