Binghamton – Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell) announced today that Governor Cuomo has signed in to law (Ch. 162 of 2011) a bill she authored to protect the Centers of Excellence Program. The bill (A.6320-C/S.5223-B) passed unanimously in the state Senate and Assembly before the end of the legislative session. Senator Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) sponsored the bill in the state Senate.

The Centers of Excellence Program was established in the 2002-2003 state budget, but was never put into law. Until now, the Centers of Excellence Program needed to be reauthorized in the state budget every year. The program supports 6 major high technology research facilities and institutions in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Stony Brook and Syracuse.

The new law will help the entire Centers of Excellence Program maintain its purposes, goals and enhance accountability. In addition to establishing the program in law, it will require annual plans from each of the centers for commercializing products or processes based on innovations developed at their facilities within New York State.

“Solidifying the Centers of Excellence in law is recognition of the value of their research and their overall importance to the innovation economy in New York. These centers are key players in Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils,” said Lupardo, Chair of the Legislative Commission on Science and Technology. “The new law will also increase accountability and ensure that the centers focus on commercialization and job development.”