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The Virginia Technology Alliance (VTA) 2008 Legislative Reception

Hosted by the Greater Richmond Technology Council and the Secretary of Technology

Virginia’s Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra and the Greater Richmond Technology Council (GRTC) hosted the annual Virginia Technology Alliance (VTA) Legislative Reception on Jan. 31, 2008 at the Library of Virginia. This year’s event was very well attended, and once again demonstrated the engagement of the technology community in the ongoing policy discussion taking place at the State Capitol.

“I can think of no other event in Virginia which attracts the same high concentration of technology leaders from both the public and the private sectors,” said Bob Stolle, formerly Executive Director of the GRTC and now with Core Consulting. “In an hour, you’re able to meet and have critical policy discussions with people that would otherwise take a year to schedule, if you could get on their calendar at all.”

Lyn McDermid, Board Chair of the GRTC and CIO of Dominion Resources, welcomed reception attendees in her introduction of Rick Lally, Chair of the VTA and President of Oceana Sensor Technologies in Hampton Roads.
“There are over 125 bills that touch on technology before the General Assembly this session,” Ms. McDermid noted. “We all know how important technology is to Virginia, and to the economy of the state. The regional technology councils recognize that today, every business is a technology business.”

Ms. McDermid expressed concern about the falling numbers of students entering science and technology programs in the U.S., saying that trend means the pipeline of skilled technology workers is not being filled. Programs such as FIRST Robotics that engage elementary, middle, and high school students, exciting them about technology and science, are critical to reversing that trend.

Ms. McDermid pointed out several FIRST Robotics teams who were at the reception: Highland Springs High School and Midlothian High School brought their big competition robots; the smaller-format FIRST Vex Challenge team from Hopewell High School demonstrated their skills; and a FIRST Lego League team from Fairfield Court Elementary School showed off their love of technology.

Rick Lally, Chair of the VTA, introduced Secretary Chopra, saying that the Secretary had some genuine words of encouragement for the assembled group.  Secretary recognized two other Kaine cabinet secretaries in attendance, Secretary of Commerce & Trade Patrick Gottschalk and Secretary of the Commonwealth Katherine Hanley.

“We have a very collaborative approach to government,” said  Secretary Chopra. “Governor Kaine has asked us for a significant push toward defining where education, technology, and commerce come together.” That collaboration will include Secretary of Education Tom Morris, and will leverage the state’s universities and its 10 regional technology councils to help develop a roadmap to successful, and ongoing, workforce and economic development.

The GRTC’s Legislative Committee drew up an agenda of issues that the Council viewed as important priorities for this General Assembly session. Fred Norman, a member of the Legislative Committee and a principal with Commonwealth of Virginia Consulting LLC, reported, “We are pleased that all sixteen GRTC legislative agenda priorities have supporting legislation in this year’s session, with the most support for improving education in technology-related curricula and careers, the use of technology in enabling “e-government”, and encouraging the adoption of telework programs.”

Norman added, “Great strides have been made to support the hard work of organizations like the Center for Innovative Technology, the Council on Virginia’s Future, and VITA. Progress is also being made on research & development issues, tax incentives for tech-related business, and funding tech innovation.”

The Legislative Reception owes a debt of thanks to its sponsors, which include CACI, CGI, Dominion Resources, Genworth Financial, Northrop Grumman, ORACLE, Apex Systems, CapTech Ventures, CIT, Computer Resource Team, Core Consulting, Dominion Digital, MicroStrategy, NET Telcos, PLANIT Technology Group, SyCom Technologies, TEKsystems, Accenture, ATS, CXI, KTL Solutions, Microsoft, Saber, SURA/JLab, and Verizon.

More Information, contact Casey Quinlan, GRTC Communications Chair

Legislative Updates
Legislative Updates

Legislative Reception (01/30/08) Photos
 

 

Greater Richmond Technology Council
Legislative Priorities

The Greater Richmond Technology Council considers the following priorities paramount to the future success of Virginia’s technology infrastructure and economic development.

Accordingly, the Council calls upon Governor Kaine and the General Assembly to:

 Ensure that the Commonwealth’s tax and regulatory environment supports the strategic growth and attraction of technology-based industries, and provides incentives for entrepreneurial startups.

 Balance the Commonwealth’s economic development strategies to provide equal support for existing industry development, assisting technology start-ups, and attracting new business.

 Increase the Commonwealth’s investment in Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology to include level funding for CIT services and $2.5M in additional funding for the GAP program to encourage technology-based entrepreneurism.

 Support the development and assimilation of a state-wide technology industry innovation plan and performance measurement index.

 Expand Virginia's capacity for R&D and facilitate new partnerships between the private sector and Virginia's research universities in conducting and commercializing basic research, applied research and development, and university-developed intellectual property.

 Resolve intellectual property ownership issues and barriers that discourage the private sector from using Virginia’s research universities as primary providers of R&D services.

 Fund the Commonwealth Technology Research Fund (CTRF) at a minimum of $5M.

 Support a statewide higher education bond proposal with an emphasis on funding for research facilities and equipment that provides Virginia institutions with the capacity to attract cutting-edge researchers and the infrastructure to compete for high value research projects.

 Establish Virginia as a center for biotechnology and nanotechnology industries and research.

 Develop programs that inform and encourage students to pursue higher education in areas critical to the continued growth of Virginia’s technology industry. Provide financial and other incentives for students entering degree programs in math, science, and engineering, to include: continued funding for FIRST Robotics, student internships, and STEM Education

 Develop programs that inform and encourage non- college bound students to earn technology related certifications in areas critical to the continued growth of Virginia’s technology industry. Provide financial and other incentives for schools and technology companies to participate in these programs.

 Invest in e-government initiatives that incorporate information technologies and enabling procedures that enhance the services provided to Virginia’s citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

 Support the continued transition of statewide IT resources into the consolidated Virginia Information Technologies Agency.

 Promote the expanded use of private-sector expertise in addressing the technology needs of state government.

 Seek the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s (JLARC) involvement in simplifying the procurement process to include: changing the $50,000 PPEA proposal submission fee to a draft proposal submission fee of a lesser amount allowing more companies to participate in the PPEA process and accepting other state’s and federal government qualified vendors including those listed on the GSA schedule as Virginia qualified vendors.

 Support the Council on Virginia's Future as an effective vehicle for defining long-term objectives for the Commonwealth and championing a culture of performance measurement in state agencies. With representation from the executive and legislative branches of state government, and recognized captains of business and industry, the Council is uniquely positioned to blend the best of public and private sector organization and management.

 Encourage the use of Telework as one strategy in the Commonwealth’s efforts to: increase the potential employment pool, reduce traffic congestion, enhance disaster recovery/continuation of operations plans, avoid productivity loss from inclement weather days, and improve employee satisfaction levels.
 

 
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