STIVERS SENATE BILL 1
PASSES OUT OF SENATE CHAMBER
Bill would foster research and collaboration among state universities
FRANKFORT, KY. (February 28, 2024) – Today, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, presented Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) which would establish an endowed research fund to the full Senate. The bill will support collaborative research efforts among public universities and address specific research areas such as spinal cord and head injuries. SB 1 passed 36-0 and now heads to the House for their vote.
The research fund established by SB 1 would be administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and fund collaborative research among up to five consortiums.
“SB 1 will make it beneficial for our universities to partner together for shared resources instead of competing for the finite resources we have to put towards our post-secondary education program,” said Stivers. “Pooling our resources means greater opportunity for additional federal grants or private funds by investors who want to support cutting-edge research.”
Once passed, SB 1 would task CPE with soliciting, accepting, and reviewing applications from these consortia to identify five eligible research groups to receive seed funding for a five-year term. SB 1 introduces a review process to determine future eligibility for funding and instructs the CPE to fill vacancies if a consortium becomes ineligible.
The council will select the top five high-quality research consortiums. Each one selected will be assigned to a unique consortium account within the fund for five years.
Metrics used to measure effectiveness include the impact on human quality of life advancements, prioritizing innovations that advance medicine, health, or economic development, and its ability to secure additional funding sources for seed money to perform initial research and prepare proposals to seek grant money from public and private sources.
SB 1 also requires the CPE to select the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Trust as one of the initial five research consortiums no later than February 1, 2025. This trust will be subject to the same performance review required for all other research consortiums
The council may expend up to four percent of all interest earnings of the endowed research fund to manage and administer the endowed research fund.
SB 1 now qualifies for consideration by the House of Representative. If passed by the House, the bill goes to the governor for his signature.
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Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, represents the 25th Senate District, including Clay, Jackson, Knox, McCreary, Owsley, and Whitley Counties. As of January 1, 2023, Stivers will have served as Kentucky Senate president for nearly a decade, first assuming the position in 2013, succeeding former Senate President David Williams. As Senate president, Stivers chairs the Senate Committee on Committees and the Rules Committee, and is Legislative Research Commission co-chair. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Senate standing committees on Education and Judiciary.
For a high-resolution .jpeg of President Stivers, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate125.jpg.
Please visit https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate132.jpg for a high-resolution .jpeg of Wilson.
Please visit Legislature.ky.gov for more information on Senate Majority Caucus members and the 2024 Legislative Session, such as committee schedules and membership, legislation and more.
Live legislative coverage is available at ket.org/legislature and via the Legislative Research Commission YouTube channel.
Access archived footage of legislative meetings at ket.org/legislature/archives.