Bill Text: NJ A2348 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a computers for schools program in DOC.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-06 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A2348 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A2348-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes a computers for schools program in DOC.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a computers for schools program in the Department of Corrections and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established in the Department of Corrections a computers for schools program. Under the program, inmates shall refurbish donated computers, which shall be made available to public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools in this State.
2. a. The Commissioner of Corrections shall designate the State correctional facility or facilities, as the case may be, to participate in the program.
b. The commissioner shall provide for the training of the inmates selected to participate in the program. The training may be performed by employees of the department, a private entity under contract with the department, volunteers from a non-profit entity, or any combination thereof.
c. To ensure against abuse or misuse by inmates, the commissioner shall remove:
(1) the modems from all donated computers to make it impossible to set up Internet connections;
(2) any software that may be susceptible to inappropriate use or activities; and
(3) all records stored on the computer's hard drive by erasing or otherwise modifying these records to make them unreadable, undecipherable, or nonreconstructable through generally available means.
3. The Commissioner of Education shall notify boards of education of the computers for schools program established pursuant to this act. The notice shall be in a manner deemed appropriate by the commissioner.
Boards of education interested in participating in the program shall so notify the commissioner.
The commissioner shall prepare a list of the districts interested in receiving refurbished computers pursuant to the program. Priority shall be given to the districts located in, or adjacent to, the municipality wherein the refurbishing correctional facility is situate.
4. The Commissioner of Corrections, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Education, shall solicit the donation of computers to the program through an Internet website and other appropriate methods. The website shall include substantially the following statement:
"Computers for Schools: Good for donors, good for students, good for taxpayers, and good for New Jersey.
Donors get tax write-offs; students get access to computers; taxpayers save tax money because schools do not pay for the computers; and inmates learn a valuable skill that will pay-off in the job market when released."
On the website, the commissioners shall describe the program, advise the public and businesses how they may participate in the program, indicate the locations where computers may be donated, and include such other information relating to the program as they deem appropriate.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the second month following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish a computers for schools program in the Department of Corrections (DOC). Under the program, inmates will refurbish donated computers for distribution to interested public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. The bill directs the Commissioner of Corrections to designate one or more State correctional facilities to participate in the program.
To guard against abuse or misuse by inmates, the bill requires the department to remove: (1) the modems from all donated computers to make it impossible to set up Internet connections; (2) any software that may be susceptible to inappropriate use or activities; and (3) all records stored on the computer's hard drive by erasing or otherwise modifying the record to make it unreadable, undecipherable, or nonreconstructable through generally available means.
The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to notify local boards of education about the program. The commissioner is to prepare a list of the interested districts, giving priority to those located either within, or adjacent to, the municipality where the correctional facility refurbishing the computers is located.
Finally, the Commissioner of Corrections and the Commissioner of Education are to establish an Internet website to publicize the computers for schools program and to advise individuals and companies how they may participate in the program.
