BILL NUMBER: SB 1774 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 29, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 16, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 24, 2000
INTRODUCED BY Senator Bowen
FEBRUARY 23, 2000
An act to add Section 10910.2 , to the
Education Code, relating to computer access, and making an
appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1774, as amended, Bowen. Computer access.
Existing law authorizes school districts to organize, promote, and
conduct programs of community recreation as well as contribute to
the attainment of general educational and recreational objectives for
children and adults of the state. Existing law declares that it is
in the interest of the people and of the state that there be a
general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence through the
establishment and operation of public libraries.
This bill would require the State Department of Education to
establish a grant program to encourage schools to keep their computer
facilities open and available to the public on evenings and
weekends their pupils and their families and to
encourage public libraries and public access computer
technology centers, as defined, that have Internet access to
extend the hours and days during which access is available to the
public. The bill would provide grant funds to cover the additional
costs incurred by the schools and ,
libraries, and public access computer technology centers
as well as provide for the cost of technical assistance at a level
determined by the State Department of Education. The bill would
require the grant program to establish preferences, as specified.
The bill would require that a grant made under the program not exceed
$100,000. The bill would require grantees to hire staff and
recruit volunteers with appropriate levels of computer knowledge and
expertise and would require a school to implement a program that
enlists pupil volunteers to provide technical support as a condition
to receiving the grant.
The bill would appropriate an unspecified sum from the General
Fund to the State Department of Education, according to a specified
schedule, to fund the grant programs.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The ability to use a computer and the Internet are becoming
critical skills that are necessary for full participation in modern
society.
(b) The disparate access to computers and the Internet is known as
the "digital divide" and is related to an individual's income,
ethnicity, and geographic location. The digital divide disadvantages
people by denying them an equal opportunity to educate themselves,
avail themselves of economic opportunities, participate in electronic
commerce, and access information.
(c) A cost-effective way of helping to bridge the digital divide
is to provide educational and training opportunities to pupils as
well as provide general access to the public through the extended use
of schools, libraries, and other public access computer centers.
SEC. 2. Section 10910.2 is added to the Education Code, to read:
10910.2. (a) The State Department of Education shall establish a
grant program to encourage schools to keep their computer facilities
open and available to the public on evenings and weekends
their pupils and their families , and to
encourage public libraries and public access computer technology
centers that have Internet access to extend the hours and days
during which access is available to the public. The grants shall
cover the additional costs, excluding costs for the construction or
lease of the facilities, incurred by a school , public access
computer technology center, or library as well as provide for
the cost of technical assistance at a level determined by the State
Department of Education. As a condition to receiving a grant, a
school must implement a program that enlists pupil volunteers to
provide technical support.
(b) The grant program established pursuant to this section shall
establish preferences for the following:
(1) Schools , public access computer technology centers,
and libraries with substantial local and private sector
support.
(2) Schools , public access computer technology centers,
and libraries located in areas with poor computer access, such
as rural and low-income areas.
(c) Grantees shall hire staff and recruit volunteers with
appropriate levels of computer knowledge and expertise.
(d) No grant awarded under the program shall exceed one hundred
thousand dollars ($100,000).
(e) For the purposes of this section, "public access computer
technology center" means a nonprofit community-based center located
in a low-income neighborhood that provides access to technology and
the Internet and technology skills training to underserved
populations, including, but not limited to, youth. The purpose of
the public access computer technology center is to provide
opportunities for the general public to become trained and
knowledgeable in the use of computers and to provide access to the
Internet so that the general public may become familiar with the use
of technology and the Internet and Internet resources.
SEC. 3. The sum of _____ ($____) is hereby appropriated from the
General Fund to the State Department of Education to be allocated
according to the following schedule:
(a) The sum of ____ dollars ($____) to the After School
Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnerships Program established
pursuant to Article 22.5 (commencing with Section 8482) of Chapter 2
of Part 6 of the Education Code to encourage schools to keep
their computer facilities open and available to the public
on evenings and weekends Internet access available
by providing grant funds to cover the additional costs incurred
by a school as well as provide for the cost of technical assistance
at a level determined by the State Department of Education.
(b) The sum of ____ ($____) to encourage public libraries that
have Internet access to extend the hours and days during which access
is available to the public by providing grant funding to cover
additional costs incurred by the library as well as provide for the
cost of technical assistance at a level determined by the State
Department of Education.
(c) The sum of ____ dollars ($____) to encourage public access
computer technology centers that have Internet access to extend the
hours and days that access is available to the public by providing
grant funding to cover the additional costs incurred by the public
access computer technology center and the cost of technical
assistance at a level determined by the State Department of
Education.