An ambitious measure aimed at kickstarting research and collaboration among the state's public universities cleared another hurdle today.

Republican Senate President Robert Stivers is a sponsor of Senate Bill one, a bill number reserved for chambers top priority.

The bill is meant to stimulate cutting edge research that could attract federal grants, while also raising Kentucky's research profile and improving the lives of Kentuckians.

Senate Bill One would set up five endowed research funds.

The Council on Postsecondary Education would then be in charge of reviewing funding applications submitted by two or more public universities.

Speaking on the Senate floor this afternoon, Senator Stivers explained the reasoning for his bill.

What I wanted to do was file a bill that wasn't in the way or sense of divisive or controversial.

That wasn't particularly good for an area, but for the whole state and something that would generate interest in cooperation and collaboration, not competition, but then had the ability to impact this state for years into the future.

And that's the hope of this bill, that we will know we've made a difference, a difference in the trajectory of the state, in the lives of people here in this state and well beyond the geographic confines of the state of Kentucky.

Senate Bill one passed the full Senate today with 36 yes votes and one pass vote.

The bill now heads to the lower chamber for consideration.

There.