(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Bioscience” means the study of genes, cells, tissues and chemical and physical structures of living organisms;

(2) “Eligible business” means a business which (A) has not more than three hundred employees at any time during the preceding twelve months, and (B) is engaged in bioscience, biotechnology, pharmaceutical or photonics research, development or production in the state; and

(3) “Eligible commercial property” means (A) real or personal property which an eligible business has (i) owned or leased, and (ii) utilized at all times during the preceding twelve months, or (B) real property which the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development or Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated has certified as newly constructed or substantially renovated and expanded primarily for occupancy by one or more eligible businesses.

(b) On and after July 1, 2010, eligible businesses and eligible commercial property located in (1) the city of Hartford; (2) census block groups 090034601001, 090034601009, 090034602014 and 090034602022 in the town of Farmington; (3) census blocks 090034602021011, 090034602021012, 090034602021013, 090034602021014, 090034602021015, 090034602021017, 090034602021018, 090034602021019, 090034602021020, 090034602021021, 090034602021022, 090034602021023, 090034602021024 and 090034602021025 in the town of Farmington; (4) census block groups 090034165005 and 090034165006 in the city of New Britain; (5) census blocks 90034164001000, 90034164001001, 90034164001002, 90034164004004, 90034164004005, 90034164004006 and 90034164001009 in the city of New Britain; (6) census tracts 09003417500, 09003416000, 09003416100, 09003416700, 09003416800, 09003417400, 09003417200, 09003417300 and 09003415700 in the city of New Britain; (7) census tracts 09003405100, 09003405400 and 09003406100 in the city of Bristol; (8) fifty-three acres of property zoned Technology Park within census tract 420700, block 9000 in the town of Plainville; (9) forty acres of raw land zoned Restricted Industrial within census tract 420400, block group 1000 in the town of Plainville; (10) thirty-five acres of raw land zoned Restricted Industrial within census tract 420500, block 3000 in the town of Plainville; or (11) any municipality which has (A) a major research university with programs in bioscience, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals or photonics, and (B) an enterprise zone, shall be entitled to the same benefits, subject to the same conditions, under the general statutes for which businesses located in an enterprise zone qualify.

(c) Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated may provide lease guarantees or other financial aid for facilities, improvements and equipment, to benefit any eligible business which is unable to secure financing for such items on commercially reasonable terms.

(d) Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated may recommend regulations to carry out the purposes of this section, which the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall adopt in accordance with chapter 54.

(e) Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated shall evaluate the feasibility of establishing a bio-processing facility within this state. If determined to be feasible, Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated shall facilitate the formation of a business consortium, in which it may participate, to launch and operate such facility.

(P.A. 96-264, S. 4, 8; P.A. 99-223, S. 2, 3; P.A. 10-104, S. 13; P.A. 11-140, S. 29; P.A. 12-65, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 96-264 effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 99-223 added new Subsec. (e) re participation in a bio-processing facility, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 10-104 amended Subsec. (a) by adding new Subdiv. (1) defining “bioscience”, redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subdivs. (2) and (3) and redefining “eligible business” in redesignated Subdiv. (2), and amended Subsec. (b) by adding new Subdivs. (1) to (7) expanding locations of eligible businesses and eligible commercial property, designating existing location as Subdiv. (8), redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) and (2) as Subdiv. (8)(A) and (B) and amending redesignated Subdiv. (8)(A) to extend benefits to municipalities that have major research university with programs in bioscience, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-140 amended Subsec. (b) by adding new Subdivs. (8), (9) and (10) re property in town of Plainville, redesignating existing Subdiv. (8) as Subdiv. (11) and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-65 amended Subsec. (b)(7) to replace census tracts 09003405200 and 09003405300 with census tracts 09003405400 and 09003406100, effective May 31, 2012.