BILL NUMBER: SB 1774 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2000
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 7, 2000
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 29, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 16, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 24, 2000
INTRODUCED BY Senator Bowen
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Alquist)
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.
(1) 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
Librarian to establish a grant program to
encourage schools to keep their computer facilities open and
available to their pupils and their families. The bill would also
require the State Librarian 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
require grant funds to cover the additional costs incurred
by the schools, libraries ,
and public access computer technology centers as well as
provide for , and to cover the cost of technical
assistance at a level determined by the State Department of
Education and the State Librarian , respectively
. The bill would require the grant program to establish
prescribed 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 .
(2) The bill would appropriate an unspecified
sum $1,343,000 from the General Fund, according
to a specified schedule, to fund the grant programs
for creation of Internet access centers throughout the
state, for operational support of the "Little Hoover" Commission,
and for the purchase of products and services for blind,
print-limited, and learning disabled pupils .
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 their pupils and their families, and the State
Librarian shall
10910.2. (a) The State Librarian shall establish a grant
program 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
, and shall cover the cost of technical assistance at a
level determined by the State Department of Education and
the State Librarian, respectively. As a condition to receiving a
grant, a school must implement a program that enlists pupil
volunteers to provide technical support. level
determined by the State Librarian.
(b) The grant program established pursuant to this section shall
establish preferences for the following:
(1) Schools, public Public access
computer technology centers, and libraries with substantial local and
private sector support.
(2) Schools, public 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 ($100,000).
(e) For the purposes of this section, "public access computer
technology center" means a nonprofit community-based center located
in a low-income neighborhood that provides access to technology and
the Internet and technology skills training to underserved
populations, including, but not limited to, youth. The purpose of
the public access computer technology center is to provide
opportunities for the general public to become trained and
knowledgable in the use of computers and to provide access to the
Internet so that the general public may become familiar with the use
of technology and the Internet and Internet resources.
SEC. 3. The sum of _____ ($____) one
million three hundred forty-three thousand dollars ($1,343,000)
is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to be allocated
according to the following schedule:
(a) The sum of ____ dollars ($____) to the State Department of
Education for 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 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 ____ ($____) to the State Librarian to encourage
public libraries that have Internet access to extend the hours and
days during which access is available to the public by providing
grant funding to cover additional costs incurred by the library as
well as provide for the cost of technical assistance at a level
determined by the State Librarian.
(c) The sum of ____ dollars ($____) to the State Librarian
(a) The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to
the State Department of Education for the Clearing House for
Specialized Media and Technology within the State Department of
Education to purchase products and services for blind, print-limited,
and learning disabled pupils.
(b) The sum of ninety-three thousand dollars ($93,000) to the
Milton Marks "Little Hoover" Commission on California State
Government Organization and Economy for operational support.
(c) The sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) to the State
Librarian 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 Librarian.