§ 4 — Powers of Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

Section 4. (a) The center shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate its purposes, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the powers:(1) to adopt and amend bylaws, regulations and procedures for the governance of its affairs and the conduct of its business without regard to chapter 30A;(2) to establish standards requiring that any grant, loan or other appropriation of funds pursuant to this chapter be subject to an intellectual property agreement between the center and the recipient person; provided said intellectual property agreements balance the opportunity for the commonwealth to benefit from the patents, royalties, and licenses with the needs to ensure that essential medical research is not unreasonably hindered by the intellectual property agreements;(3) to adopt an official seal and a functional name;(4) to maintain offices at places within the commonwealth as it may determine and to conduct meetings of the center in accordance with the by-laws of the authority and the second paragraph of section 59 of chapter 156B;(5) to sue and be sued, to prosecute and defend actions relating to its properties and affairs, and to be liable in tort in the same manner as a private person; provided however, that the center is not authorized to become a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code;(6) to appoint officers and employees and to engage consultants, agents and advisors;(7) to enter into contracts and agreements and execute all instruments necessary or convenient thereto for accomplishing the purposes of this chapter; such contracts and agreements may include, without limiting the foregoing, construction agreements, purchase or acquisition agreements, loan or lease agreements, partnership agreements including limited partnership agreements, joint ventures, participation agreements, service agreements with biotechnology entities, nanotechnology entities, bio-defense entities, health care, educational or other financial institutions or intermediaries, and agreements with one or more persons for the servicing of loans made by the center including the receipt by such servicer of payments made by a user under a financing document; provided, however, that the center shall contract with another public authority for the performance by that authority of core administrative functions, as determined by the secretary of economic development which may include, but shall not be limited to, human resources, financial management, information technology, legal, procurement and asset management, to minimize the administrative costs and expenses of the center. Any such payments shall constitute trust funds to be held and applied solely as provided in such agreement for the servicing of loans, shall constitute pledged funds of the center and shall be entitled to the same protection when received by a person for the servicing of loans, without the need for filing and recording of the servicing agreement under the provisions of chapter 106 or otherwise except in the records of the center, as is afforded to funds received by an issuer and pledged to a trustee under section 14 of chapter 40D.(8) to acquire real and personal property, or any interest in real or personal property, by gift, purchase, transfer, foreclosure, lease or otherwise including rights or easements; to hold, sell, assign, lease, encumber, mortgage or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property, or any interest therein, or mortgage any interest owned by it or under its control, custody or in its possession; to release or relinquish any right, title, claim, lien, interest, easement or demand however acquired, including any equity or right of redemption in property foreclosed by it; to take assignments of leases and rentals, proceed with foreclosure actions, or take any other actions necessary or incidental to the performance of its corporate purposes;[ Clause (9) of subsection (a) effective until November 20, 2024. For text effective November 20, 2024, see below.](9) to invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in such investments as may be provided in any financing document relating to the use of such funds, or, if not so provided, as the board may determine;[ Clause (9) of subsection (a) as amended by 2024, 238, Sec. 65 effective November 20, 2024. For text effective until November 20, 2024, see above.](9) to invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or the Massachusetts Life Sciences Breakthrough Fund, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in such investments as may be provided in any financing document relating to the use of such funds, or, if not so provided, as the board may determine;(10) to review and recommend changes in laws, rules, programs, and policies of the state and its agencies and subdivisions to further the enhancement of life sciences financing, infrastructure and development within the commonwealth;(11) to appear in its own behalf before boards, commissions, departments or other agencies of municipal, state or federal government;(12) to obtain insurance;(13) to apply for and accept subventions, grants, loans, advances and contributions from any source of money, property, labor or other things of value, to be held, used and applied for its corporate purposes, provided however, that the center shall not accept funding from any source, including any federal agency, if the receipt of said funding would limit the center's ability to promote all forms of biomedical research or scientific inquiry;(14) to borrow money in order to implement the purposes of this chapter and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to augment the means of securing financing authorized by law for or otherwise available to public bodies and other users;(15) to lend money to and to acquire or hold obligations issued by public bodies or other users at such prices and in such manner as the center shall deem advisable and sell such bonds acquired or held by it at prices without relation to cost and in such manner as the center shall deem advisable and to secure its own issues of bonds with such obligations held by it;(16) to act as the central entity and coordinating organization of life sciences initiatives on behalf of the commonwealth and to work in collaboration with governmental entities, bodies, centers, institutes and facilities and promote all areas of life sciences to advance the commonwealth's interests and investments in the life sciences;(17) to promulgate a code of ethics to address collaborative state and business research activities; provided, further, that said code of ethics shall include recommendations, and proposed legislation if necessary, addressing the issue of exclusive licensing agreements for intellectual property developed using state funds between state-funded colleges and universities and private companies and institutions. Said code shall be forwarded to the clerks of the house and senate who shall forward the same to the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies.(18) to enter into agreements with public and private entities that deal primarily with biotechnology, nanotechnology, and related physical technology fields with preference to but not limited to stem cell research, bio-manufacturing, and nano-manufacturing, in order to distribute and provide leveraging of monies or services for the purposes of furthering scientific research in the commonwealth, aiding in the promotion the health of residents, fostering jobs in the life sciences, and promoting overall economic growth within the commonwealth by fostering collaboration and investments in life sciences in the commonwealth;(19) to provide and pay for such advisory services and technical assistance as may be necessary or desired to carry out the purposes of this chapter;(20) to establish and collect such fees and charges as the center without further appropriation shall determine to be reasonable; and to receive and apply revenues from fees and charges to the purposes of the Center or allotment by the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof;(21) to make loans to any person for the acquisition, construction, alteration, or any combination thereof, or other financing of a project, including but not limited to loans to lending institutions under terms and conditions requiring the proceeds of such loans to be used by such lending institutions for the making of loans to users for qualified projects;(22) to disburse, appropriate, grant, loan or allocate funds for the purposes of investing in life sciences, emerging technologies, stem cell research, biotechnology, nanotechnology, bio-defense and advanced sciences as directed in this chapter;(23) to provide assistance to local entities, local authorities, public bodies and private corporations for the purposes of maximizing opportunities for the expansion of life sciences and advanced technologies in the commonwealth and attracting new life sciences entities and advanced technology investments to Massachusetts, fostering new innovative research applications to the commonwealth and creating new manufacturing and development initiatives in the commonwealth;[ Clause (23A) of subsection (a) inserted by 2024, 238, Sec. 66 effective November 20, 2024.](23A) to disburse, appropriate, grant, loan or allocate bond proceeds to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, other public or quasi-public entities in the commonwealth and certified life sciences companies; provided, that eligible grantees shall include private businesses; provided further, that grants shall be awarded and administered consistent with the strategic goals and priorities of the center; provided further, that grants administered for the purchase of equipment to be owned by, leased to or located within the premises of a private business shall be administered in support of a partnership with an institution of higher education or nonprofit corporation with a mission of supporting the life sciences in the commonwealth; provided further, that a private university or business entity shall not be eligible for a grant unless the center determines that a grant to such university or entity will result in a significant public benefit and any private benefit is incidental to a legitimate public purpose; and provided further, that grants shall be administered in a manner that promotes geographic, social, racial and economic equity;.(24) to prepare, publish and distribute, with or without charge, as the center may determine, such studies, reports and bulletins and other material as the Center deems appropriate;(25) to exercise any other powers of a corporation organized under chapter 156B; and(26) to engage accountants, architects, attorneys, engineers, planners, real estate experts and other consultants as may be necessary in its judgment to carry out the purposes of this act and fix their compensation;(27) to take any actions necessary or convenient to the exercise of any power or the discharge of any duty provided for by this act;(28) enter into agreements or other transactions with any person, including without limitation any public entity or other governmental instrumentality or agency in connection with its powers and duties under this chapter;[ Clause (29) of subsection (a) effective until November 20, 2024. For text effective November 20, 2024, see below.](29) to institute and administer the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund, established pursuant to section 5 for the purposes of making appropriations, allocations, grants or loans to leverage development and investments in stem cell research, pursuant to chapter 111L, biotechnology, nano-manufacturing, advanced sciences, facilities of higher education whose work and mission applies directly to the aforementioned applications and industries, including, but not limited to, health care, advanced medical technologies and related areas. The center shall implement an application and grant process for these purposes.[ Clause (29) of subsection (a) as amended by 2024, 238, Sec. 67 effective November 20, 2024. For text effective until November 20, 2024, see above.](29) to institute and administer the Massachusetts Life Sciences Breakthrough Fund, established pursuant to section 5 for the purposes of making appropriations, allocations, grants or loans to leverage development and investments in stem cell research, pursuant to chapter 111L, biotechnology, nano-manufacturing, advanced sciences, facilities of higher education whose work and mission applies directly to the aforementioned applications and industries, including, but not limited to, health care, advanced medical technologies and related areas. The center shall implement an application and grant process for these purposes.(30) to operate as a licensed small business investment corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. section 661 et seq., as amended; provided, however, that as an alternative, the board may establish a subsidiary corporation to operate as a licensed small business investment corporation pursuant to said Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. section 661 et seq., and to make investments in qualified securities of enterprises through such subsidiary;[ Clauses (31) and (32) of subsection (a) effective until November 20, 2024. For text effective November 20, 2024, see below.](31) to track and report to the general court on federal initiatives that have an impact on life sciences companies doing business in the commonwealth; and(32) to create award programs to acknowledge successful companies, public and private institutions and programs in industry-specific areas, as determined by the center.[ Clauses (31) and (32) of subsection (a) as amended by 2024, 238, Sec. 68 effective November 20, 2024. For text effective until November 20, 2024, see above.](31) to track and report to the general court on federal initiatives that have an impact on life sciences companies doing business in the commonwealth;(32) to create award programs to acknowledge successful companies, public and private institutions and programs in industry-specific areas, as determined by the center; and[ Clause (33) of subsection (a) added by 2024, 238, Sec. 68 effective November 20, 2024.](33) to convene an advisory board as may be necessary in its judgment to carry out the purposes of this chapter.[ There is no subsection (b).]