Bill > HB2545

This bill mandates the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) to establish a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Matching Program, offering state funds to Hawaii-based companies that have already received federal SBIR or Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) awards, with state matching funds equaling fifty percent of the federal award amount, and these companies will be required to present to public school students about innovation and technology careers as part of a new STEM education outreach program developed with the Department of Education. Additionally, the HTDC is required to create a comprehensive Economic Diversification Strategic Plan for the State, outlining goals, measurable outcomes, and actions to bolster emerging industries and high-wage job sectors, and the bill appropriates funds for these initiatives, including economic diversification and defense ecosystem development, with all provisions set to take effect on July 1, 3000.