Legislature Considers State Biotech Recruitment/ Retention Position

The Assembly Appropriations Committee weighed a bill that would create a new state government position aimed at retaining biotechnology employers in California, and attracting additional life sciences employers to the state.

AB1733, introduced by Assembly Member Hill and coauthored by Assembly Members Ammiano, Anderson, Block, Caballero, Coto, Fletcher, Fong, Galgiani, Harkey, Hayashi, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, and Villines, along with Senator Wyland, called for the state to hire a director of California biotechnology retention and recruitment within the office of the governor. The bill required the director to be "responsible for serving as an informational resource for biotechnology, life science, and medical companies, as specified." The position would cost an estimated $300,000 to support a high level staff member conversant in biotechnology generally and life science regulatory affairs specifically, as well as a half-time support staff and a travel budget to support out-ofstate travel.

The bill follows on a series of hearings conducted by the Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology during 2009 and 2010, which found that California biotechnology companies need assistance with complying with regulatory requirements imposed by state and local governments. The hearings also revealed that California biotechnology companies are locating satellite facilities and manufacturing facilities outside of California, because other states are providing incentives and assistance that California does not provide. According to survey released by the California Healthcare Institute in January 2010, two-thirds of executives at California biomedical companies indicated they expected to expand their out-of-state manufacturing operations over the next two years. Only 30 percent of executives anticipated expanding manufacturing within the state.

Although AB 1733 passed the state Assembly's health, business and professions committees, it did not make it out of appropriations. However, interest in facilitating biotech recruitment at the state level is manifest and further follow up to the Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology hearings is possible.