Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §15302, sub-§§9 and 10, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. AAA, §3, are amended to read:

9. Annual report. By October December 15th of each year, the institute shall provide an annual report, with audited financial reports, on its activities to the joint standing committee or joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over research and development matters. The institute shall also submit unaudited quarterly financial reports to the joint standing committee or joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over research and development matters.

10. Independent evaluation. By January 14, 2000 and by January 15th of every odd-numbered year, starting in 2001 2003, the institute shall submit to the joint standing committee or joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over research and development matters an independent evaluation of the performance of the institute. The evaluation must measure firm survival, new product development and process innovations, jobs created and other measures that the evaluator, in consultation with the institute, may establish. The evaluation must consider the institute's strategic role in stimulating economic growth in Maine's targeted technologies.

Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §15302, sub-§11 is enacted to read:

11.__Proceedings; records.__The proceedings and records of the institute are not considered public for the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13.

Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §15321, sub-§3, ¶D is enacted to read:

D.__The records and proceedings of the applied technology development centers and their tenants are not considered public for the purposes of Title 1, chapter 13.

SUMMARY

This bill protects the confidentiality of Maine Technology Institute clients by exempting the institute's proceedings and records from the requirements of Maine's public records and proceedings statutes.

This bill also protects the confidentiality of the applied technology development centers and their tenants by exempting the