Joan Hartley

State Senator

Joan Hartley

Chief Deputy President Pro Tempore

An Independent Voice

May 17, 2019

Senator Hartley Leads Senate Passage Of Bill Advertising Connecticut As A Bioscience Epicenter

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), Senate Chair of the Commerce Committee, led the Senate’s passage of a bill that would use Connecticut Innovations Inc. resources to promote Connecticut as a bioscience epicenter. This legislation would create a marketing campaign to emphasize the strengths of the state bioscience industry to prospective businesses.

“There are 39,000 people employed in the bioscience industry in our state,” said Sen. Hartley, “working for 2,500 companies. This is a competitive sector, and Connecticut has planted a flag to show it’s an industry leader. This marketing campaign will broadcast our success in this field and help us draw even more business to Connecticut, pushing our economy forward, all with no fiscal impact to the state.”

Senate Bill No. 1026, “An Act Establishing Certain Incentives to Grow the Bioscience Industry in the State,” would have Connecticut Innovations, Inc. and partners create a marketing, social media and Internet campaign promoting Connecticut as a bioscience hub, with work to begin by February 2020.

This legislation received support from Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner David Lehman as well as the University of Connecticut, both of whom supported the notion of growing Connecticut’s bioscience industry.

“Connecticut should continue to build on the strategic investments that it has made in this sector in order to keep the momentum going and to leverage and promote Connecticut’s existing strengths and assets to ensure that we remain in the forefront as this industry develops and evolves,” read testimony from Carla Curran, speaking on behalf of the University.

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