5-29-1      Legislative findings.
5-29-2      Definitions.
5-29-3      Research parks on state lands.
5-29-4      Accommodation of all kinds of facilities.
5-29-5      Lands subject to school and public lands trust.
5-29-6      Mineral rights.
5-29-7      Geothermal resources.
5-29-8      Structures and mineral leases may not disturb use of research park.
5-29-9      Authorized agreements.
5-29-10      Construction of agreements to permit only authorized uses.
5-29-11      Security for financing.
5-29-12      Lease period limit.
5-29-13      Commercially reasonable performance required--Enforcement and termination.
5-29-14      Title to improvements upon termination.
5-29-15      State not liable for research park debts.
5-29-16      Formation of research park corporations.
5-29-17      Board of directors appointed by Board of Regents.
5-29-18      Net earnings of research park corporation.
5-29-19      Research park corporation not a public body.
5-29-20      Research park corporation not subject to statutes and rules governing public bodies.
5-29-21      Research park corporation to have powers of nonprofit corporation.

5-29-1. Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds that to increase research and technology- related economic activity in South Dakota and to expand the opportunities for South Dakota faculty members, researchers, and students to participate in the application of research results and technological innovations in commerce, government, or public service, it is critically important to encourage research opportunities and programs within the regental system. To these ends, the Legislature intends that this chapter be construed as authorizing and encouraging coordinated public and private investments in facilities situated on lands controlled by the Board of Regents and designed to support commercial application of research results and technological innovations.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 1.

5-29-2. Definitions.

Terms as used in this chapter mean:

(1)    "Private party lessee or contractor," a business, a nonprofit corporation, or a research park corporation authorized by lease, contract, or agreement with the Board of Regents to construct, finance, operate, maintain, reconstruct, remodel, and manage, at its expense and risk, any research park established pursuant to this chapter;

(2)    "Research," an investigation aimed at the discovery of new knowledge to create a new product or service, a new process or technique, or to bring about a significant improvement in an existing product or process;

(3)    "Research park," a planned real estate development designed to promote the practical application of university research, to aid the transfer of knowledge, technology, and business skills through collaboration between universities and industry, government, or other organizations that apply research or technology, and to assist in the growth of research-based and technology-led economic development for the community, region, and state, by bringing together universities, institutes, laboratories, businesses, and governmental and other organizations devoted to testing, research, and development activities, to the commercial, governmental, or public policy application of research results or technological innovation, or to the management of research or technology-based enterprises, agencies, or organizations. The term includes such enterprises as may be necessary to support the activities of the primary tenants, their staff, or visitors; and

(4)    "Research park corporation," any nonprofit corporation formed pursuant to this chapter and Title 47 for the purpose of constructing, financing, developing, maintaining, and operating a research park.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 2.

5-29-3. Research parks on state lands.

The Board of Regents may utilize state lands under its control for the construction, development, maintenance, and operation of research parks.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 3.

5-29-4. Accommodation of all kinds of facilities.

A research park authorized by this chapter may accommodate all kinds of facilities, laboratories, businesses, or organizations usually found at research parks affiliated with universities.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 4.

5-29-5. Lands subject to school and public lands trust.

If any lands used for purposes of a research park are determined to be subject to the school and public lands trust established pursuant to S.D. Const., Art. VIII, § 7, then:

(1)    A civil, state, religious, or public organization seeking to develop and to operate a research park may make application to the commissioner of school and public lands for conveyance pursuant to § 5-9-34. If the Board of Regents agrees to transfer possession of the land, the commissioner may convey defeasible title as provided in § 5-9-35 for the purpose of operating a research park. Upon any reversion, the land shall once again be placed under the control of the Board of Regents as part of the campus from which it was originally severed; or

(2)    The Board of Regents may select other lands under its control of equal value, as determined by the commissioner of school and public lands, and exchange such other lands for those comprising the research park in order to maintain the principal of the school and public lands trust.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 5.

5-29-6. Mineral rights.

Any mineral rights to state lands on which a research park has been established shall be managed in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with research park operations.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 6; SL 2013, ch 30, § 1.

5-29-7. Geothermal resources.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including chapter 5-7, the Board of Regents when approving a research park lease or sublease may lease such portions of the mineral interests reserved to the State of South Dakota in the lands occupied by the research park as may be necessary to permit the research park and its tenants to use geothermal resources for heating or cooling on-site facilities. The mineral interests may be leased on behalf of the State of South Dakota acting by and through the Board of Regents in a manner and upon terms acceptable to the board.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 7.

5-29-8. Structures and mineral leases may not disturb use of research park.

The commissioner of school and public lands may not authorize the lease of mineral rights if exploitation of such rights would disturb the use of the research park, nor authorize construction of dams, canals, water ditches, or laterals if such structures would impair the use of the research park.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 8.

5-29-9. Authorized agreements.

The Board of Regents may enter into any lease, contract, or agreement with a business, a nonprofit corporation, or a research park corporation to permit that entity, at its expense and risk, to construct, finance, maintain, and operate any research park established pursuant to this chapter.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 9.

5-29-10. Construction of agreements to permit only authorized uses.

No lease, contract, or agreement may be construed to authorize the private party lessee or contractor, or any subtenant, creditor, trustee, receiver, lien holder, heir, assignee, or other party claiming an interest or right through such private party lessee or contractor, to use or to permit the use of the research park for purposes other than those specified in this chapter.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 10.

5-29-11. Security for financing.

The lease, contract, or agreement may permit the private party lessee or contractor, or other parties claiming an interest or right through them, to pledge for commercially reasonable periods of time such rights of use or occupancy as may be possessed in order to obtain financing. However, no such pledge impairs the reversionary interests of the Board of Regents.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 11.

5-29-12. Lease period limit.

No lease granted pursuant to this chapter may have a duration exceeding ninety-nine years.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 12.

5-29-13. Commercially reasonable performance required--Enforcement and termination.

Each lease, contract, or agreement shall contain provisions that require commercially reasonable performance by the private lessee or contractor. Each lease, contract, or agreement shall contain provisions that reserve to the Board of Regents the power to enforce the requirements of this chapter and of any leases, contracts, or agreements issued pursuant to it, which reserved powers shall include the power of termination.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 13.

5-29-14. Title to improvements upon termination.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, upon termination of any such lease, contract, or agreement, the Board of Regents may take title to all improvements comprising the research park.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 14.

5-29-15. State not liable for research park debts.

Nothing in this chapter authorizes the Board of Regents or any entity operating a research park under a lease, contract, or agreement with the Board of Regents to contract a debt on behalf of, or in any way to obligate, the State of South Dakota, or to pledge, assign, or encumber in any way, or to permit the pledging, assigning, or encumbering in any way, of appropriations made by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota. No debt or liability of a research park is an indebtedness, legal or moral, of the State of South Dakota, and no creditor may have recourse against the State of South Dakota or any fund created or maintained directly or indirectly from state taxation.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 15.

5-29-16. Formation of research park corporations.

The Board of Regents may form one or more research park corporations, separate and apart from the state, to construct, finance, develop, maintain, and operate research parks or economic development initiatives that support the teaching, research, or service mission of the university system by expanding opportunities for South Dakota faculty members, researchers, and students to participate in the application of research results and technological innovations in commerce, government, or public service.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 16.

5-29-17. Board of directors appointed by Board of Regents.

Each research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 shall be governed by, and all of the corporation's functions, powers, and duties shall be exercised by, a board appointed by the Board of Regents. Each research park corporation shall have the Board of Regents as its sole member. Members of the board may include university presidents, regents, university officers or employees, and other persons selected by the Board of Regents.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 17.

5-29-18. Net earnings of research park corporation.

No portion of the net earnings realized by any research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 may inure to any director or officer of the corporation or to any private entity or individual.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 18.

5-29-19. Research park corporation not a public body.

No research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 may be deemed an agency, public body, or other political subdivision of South Dakota, and no research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 may borrow money secured by the State of South Dakota.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 19.

5-29-20. Research park corporation not subject to statutes and rules governing public bodies.

No research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 is subject to statutes or rules regulating the conduct of public bodies, including those relating to personnel, procurement of goods and services, board meetings, disposition or acquisition of property, capital outlays, per diem and mileage, and inspection of records. Nothing in this section relieves a research park corporation of the obligation to conform to criminal laws or other statutes of general application.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 20.

5-29-21. Research park corporation to have powers of nonprofit corporation.

A research park corporation formed pursuant to § 5-29-16 shall have all rights, powers, and privileges granted to nonprofit corporations pursuant to Title 47 which are necessary and convenient to carry out and to effectuate the provisions of this chapter.

Source: SL 2012, ch 46, § 21.