Lawmakers hope new public records law will lead to ‘sponsored research’

Arizona lawmakers are hoping a newly enacted tweak in the state’s public records law leads to a new influx of companies willing to pay state universities to do research for them.

That change carves out an exception to that law for what is developed at universities as the result of “sponsored research.” In essence, it ensures that a company cannot file a public records request and learn what a competitor is doing.

The new law already may be reaping benefits: A spokesman for Sanofi-Aventis, a nationwide company that develops prescriptions and vaccines, told Capitol Media Services his firm is now negotiating with the University of Arizona. Jack Cox said the oncology research would be the first such contract with an Arizona university in recent memory.

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Read the full story at the East Valley Tribune | Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 10:04 am | Updated: 8:31 am, Mon May 21, 2012.

Lawmakers hope new public records law will lead to ‘sponsored research’

By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services East Valley Tribune