BILL NUMBER: SR 29	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 26, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Murray

                        MAY 26, 2000

   Senate Resolution No. 29--Relative to closing the Digital Divide.


  HOUSE OR SENATE RESOLUTIONS DO NOT CONTAIN A DIGEST



   WHEREAS, California is the national leader in the use of
technology for the information age; and
   WHEREAS, Computers and the Internet are revolutionizing the ways
people learn, communicate, earn a living, and entertain themselves;
and
   WHEREAS, The Digital Divide is the term commonly used to describe
the gap between those who  can afford the computer hardware
and software they need to access the Internet at home and those who
cannot; and   have access to the computer hardware,
software, education, training, and technical assistance needed to
access and make use of the Internet at home and those who do not; and

   WHEREAS, The disparity created by the Digital Divide establishes
 an   a nearly  impenetrable barrier to not
only quality jobs, but also educational opportunities and access to
information that all Americans will need in order to be successful;
and
   WHEREAS, Although there has been a significant and steady increase
in low-income Americans' ownership and use of computers and the
Internet, the disparity  continues to expand 
between low-income and higher income Americans  continues to be
large  ; and
   WHEREAS, Nationwide computer ownership among households with
children is now almost as common as cable television subscriptions
(42 percent), and Internet access almost as common as newspaper
subscriptions (26 percent), and these numbers are higher for
California households; and
   WHEREAS, Although nationwide more than 50 percent of children in
urban households earning more than $75,000 and 40 percent of
two-parent households have Internet access, only 11 percent of black,
12.6 percent of Latino, and 15 percent of female, single-parent
households have Internet access; and
   WHEREAS, The technology gap is not simply a reflection of choices
made by an individual household, but a reflection of a deeper problem
of access to infrastructure  , quality education, effective
training, and appropriate content and a growing income disparity
 ; and
   WHEREAS, A concerted effort is needed to address the children on
the wrong side of the Digital Divide  in low-income areas
 ; and
   WHEREAS, Most parents and children view the Internet as a positive
force in children's lives and a powerful tool for learning and
communicating;  and
   WHEREAS, Home-based information technology is the fastest growing
part of the information superhighway;  now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate
of the State of California supports the goal described by United
States Secretary of Commerce William Daley at the Digital Divide
Summit:  "A goal that will close the gap ... may be a goal where we
would have a computer in every house like a chicken in every pot and
two cars in every garage ..."; and be it further
   Resolved, That the State of California should provide support,
encouragement, and incentives to close the Digital Divide through
 universal Internet access   , for example,
widespread Internet access, education, and training at homes,
schools, public places, and locally accessible sites  ; and be
it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.