Bill Text: CT SB00847 | 2013 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Commission For Technology Advancement.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-06-04 - Senate Recommitted to Planning and Development [SB00847 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2013-SB00847-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2013 |
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AN ACT CONCERNING THE COMMISSION FOR TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 4d-80 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(a) There is established a Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement within the Department of Administrative Services. The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: (1) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, [or the commissioner's designee,] the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, the president of The University of Connecticut and the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, [or their designees,] the State Librarian [, or the State Librarian's designee, the chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, or the chairperson's designee, the chief executive officers of the constituent units of the state system of higher education, or their designees] and the Consumer Counsel, (2) one member each representing the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, the [Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, the Connecticut Educators Computer Association,] Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Connecticut Council of Small Towns and the Connecticut Library Association, and (3) [a secondary school teacher designated by the Connecticut Education Association and an elementary school teacher designated by the Connecticut Federation of Educational and Professional Employees, and (4)] four members who represent business [and] or have expertise in information technology, [one each] two of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, [the Lieutenant Governor,] one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives and one of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate. [The Lieutenant Governor shall convene the first meeting of the commission on or before September 1, 2000.] The commission shall convene a meeting at least once during each calendar quarter.
(b) The [commission shall elect] Governor shall appoint a chairperson from among [its] the members of the commission or their designees. Subject to the provisions of chapter 67, and within available appropriations, the commission may appoint an executive director and such other employees as may be necessary for the discharge of the duties of the commission. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the executive director shall have the option to elect participation in the state employees retirement system, or the alternate retirement program established for eligible employees in higher education or the teachers' retirement system.
(c) The commission shall:
[(1) Be the principal educational technology policy advisor for state government;]
[(2)] (1) Develop, oversee and direct the attainment of state-wide technology advancement goals including:
(A) Increasing the availability and usage of technology that promotes efficiency in operation and increased digital literacy across the state;
(B) Increasing and improving usage of high-speed, cost effective network technology to meet collaboration demands of state and local government, institutions of education and other related entities;
[(A)] (C) Connecting [all] institutions of higher education, libraries, public elementary and secondary schools, regional educational service centers, municipal facilities and other parties through a state-wide high speed, flexible network that will allow for video, voice and data transmission at rates set no higher than necessary to cover the costs of maintaining and operating the network;
[(B)] (D) Wiring [all] school classrooms and connecting them to the Internet and to the state-wide high speed network through wired, wireless, or any other digital transmission technology providing high speed connectivity;
[(C)] (E) Providing access for [all] public schools, public libraries and libraries at institutions of higher education to a core set of on-line full text resources and to the ability to purchase collaboratively for other collections in order to maximize buying power;
[(D) Ensuring, in cooperation with the State Board of Education, competency in computing skills by the sixth grade for all students;]
[(E)] (F) Ensuring competency in specific computing skills and the integration of technology into the curriculum for all public school teachers; and
[(F)] (G) Ensuring that institutions of higher education offer a wide range of course and degree programs via the Internet and through other synchronous and asynchronous methods;
[(3) Coordinate the activities of all state agencies, educational institutions and other parties involved in the creation and management of a reliable and secure network that will offer connectivity and allow for the transmission of video, voice and data transmission to every library, school, regional educational service center and institution of higher education;]
[(4)] (2) Be the liaison between the Governor and the General Assembly and local, state and federal organizations and entities with respect to [educational] technology adoption and access matters;
[(5)] (3) Develop and maintain a long-range plan and make related recommendations for the coordination of [educational] technology advancement. The plan shall (A) establish clear goals and a strategy for [using telecommunications and information] technology to improve education, research and access, (B) [include a professional development strategy to ensure that teachers and faculty know how to use the new technologies to improve education] improve digital literacy and awareness, (C) include an assessment of the telecommunications, hardware, software and other services that will be needed to improve education, and (D) include an evaluation process that monitors progress towards the specified goals;
[(6) Measure the availability and usage of Internet access sites available to the public, including, but not limited to, those maintained by state and local government agencies, libraries, schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, businesses and other organizations and recommend strategies for reducing the disparities in Internet accessibility and usage across the state and among all potential users;
(7) Establish methods and procedures to ensure the maximum involvement of members of the public, educators, librarians, representatives of higher education, the legislature and local officials in educational technology matters and organize, as necessary, advisory boards consisting of individuals with expertise in a particular discipline significant to the work of the commission;]
[(8)] (4) On or before January 1, [2001] 2015, and [annually] every two years thereafter, [the commission shall] report, in accordance with section 11-4a, on its activities, progress made in the attainment of the state-wide technology advancement goals as outlined in the long-range plan and any recommendations to the joint standing [committee] committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, commerce, higher education and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies; [, the State Board of Education, and the Board of Regents for Higher Education. The report shall include recommendations for adjustments to the funding formula for grants pursuant to section 10-262n if there are school districts that are at a disadvantage in terms of wiring their schools and the use of technology in their schools;]
[(9)] (5) Enter into such contractual agreements, in accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section; and
[(10)] (6) Take any other action necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to, establishing a process for rate-setting and selection of parties to be connected pursuant to subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(d) The Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement may request any office, department, board, commission or other agency of the state to supply such reports, information and assistance as may be necessary or appropriate in order to carry out its duties and requirements.
[(e) For purposes of this section, educational technology shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Computer-assisted instruction; (2) information retrieval and data transfer; (3) telecommunications related to voice, data and video transmission of instruction related materials and courses; (4) the development and acquisition of educational software; and (5) the instructional uses of the Internet and other technologies.]
Sec. 2. Section 4d-81 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
There is established [an educational] a technology advancement account. The Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement shall deposit in said account any private donation, bequest or devise made to it to assist in the attainment of the state-wide technology advancement goals established pursuant to subdivision [(2)] (1) of subsection (c) of section 4d-80, as amended by this act. Said account is intended to be in addition to those resources that are appropriated by the state for technology purposes. The commission shall use the resources of the account for activities related to the attainment of such goals.
Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 4d-82 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(a) The Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement shall develop, with the advice and assistance of the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the Department of Administrative Services, a five-year plan for the implementation of the Connecticut Education Network to provide state-of-the-art, high-speed, reliable Internet access and video, voice and data transmissions that electronically link all educational institutions in the state, including public and independent institutions of higher education, the state's libraries and all elementary, middle and secondary schools and other institutions including businesses, job centers and community organizations. The plan shall include the establishment of a Connecticut Digital Library as a component of the Connecticut Education Network to ensure on-line access by all students and citizens to essential library and information resources. The State Library, in conjunction with the Board of Regents for Higher Education, shall administer the Connecticut Digital Library. The Connecticut Digital Library shall provide access to available on-line electronic full-text databases, a state-wide electronic catalog and interlibrary loan system and the electronic and physical delivery of library resources. The Connecticut Digital Library shall include elements specifically designed to meet the educational and research needs of the general public, higher education students and faculty and elementary and secondary school students and teachers.
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 10-4h of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(a) The Department of Education, in consultation with the Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement, shall establish a competitive grant program, within the limit of the bond authorization for purposes of this section, to assist (1) local and regional school districts, (2) regional educational service centers, (3) cooperative arrangements among one or more boards of education, and (4) endowed academies approved pursuant to section 10-34 that are eligible for school building project grants pursuant to chapter 173, to upgrade or install wiring, including electrical wiring, cable or other distribution systems and infrastructure improvements to support telecommunications and other information transmission equipment to be used for educational purposes, provided the department may expend up to two per cent of such bond authorization for such purposes for the technical high school system.
Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 10-262n of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(b) Local and regional boards of education shall apply to the department for grants at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Education prescribes. In order to be eligible for a grant, a local or regional board of education shall: (1) Have a technology plan that was developed or updated during the three-year period preceding the date of application for grant funds and, once the Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement develops the long-range plan required pursuant to subdivision [(5)] (3) of subsection (c) of section 4d-80, as amended by this act, the local technology plan shall be consistent with such long-range plan, (2) provide that each school and superintendent's office be able to communicate with the Department of Education using the Internet, (3) present evidence that it has applied or will apply for a grant from the federal Universal Service Fund, and (4) submit a plan for the expenditure of grant funds in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
Sec. 6. Section 10-262o of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
The Department of Education shall establish, within available appropriations, a competitive grant program to fund innovative teacher training programs on the integration of technology into the public school curriculum in order to improve student learning. [On and after July 1, 2001, such training programs shall be consistent with the standards developed pursuant to section 4d-85.]
Sec. 7. Section 10a-143b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
The Board for State Academic Awards shall establish, within available appropriations, innovative on-line teacher and higher education faculty training programs on the integration of technology into the public school curriculum and courses at public institutions of higher education in order to improve student learning. [On and after July 1, 2001, the training program established for public school teachers shall be consistent with the standards developed pursuant to section 4d-85.]
Sec. 8. Section 11-2b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
The State Library, in consultation with the Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement, within available appropriations, shall contract, through a request for proposal process, for the development of a Connecticut Parent Technology Academy. The academy shall be host network for the development of increased opportunities for parents of elementary, middle and secondary school students to learn about and demonstrate their knowledge of information technologies. The academy shall: (1) Identify existing programs and best practices for the delivery of information technology training for parents, (2) coordinate the development of curriculum models to be used to train parents in the use of information technologies, and (3) seek business, philanthropic, community and educational partners to expand training locations and learning options for parents. The Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement shall work in collaboration with the academy to negotiate vendor discounts for computer purchases and upgrades and low interest bank loans for such purchases for parents who successfully complete an information technology training program.
Sec. 9. Subdivision (5) of subsection (d) of section 16-331 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(5) The authority shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, establishing procedures and standards for the renewal of certificates issued to community antenna television companies. Such regulations shall, without limitation, (A) incorporate the provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 USC 546, (B) require the authority to consult with the advisory council for the franchise area served by the certificate holder before making a decision concerning the renewal of the certificate, (C) require any holder of a certificate which is not renewed by the authority to continue to operate the franchise for one year after the end of its term or until a successor is chosen and ready to assume control of the franchise, whichever is sooner, (D) establish standards for the content of notices sent to cable subscribers concerning public hearings for franchise renewal proceedings which standards shall include, without limitation, the requirements specified in subdivision (6) of this subsection, (E) establish standards to ensure that the costs and expenses of a municipality constructing, purchasing or operating a community antenna television company are accurately attributed to such company, and (F) establish quality standards for the instructional and educational channels. The authority shall adopt regulations pursuant to this subdivision in conjunction with the Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement.
Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 16-333h of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(a) Each community antenna television company, as defined in section 16-1, shall, not later than the date it extends energized trunk and feeder to all areas within its franchise territory in which there are at least twenty-five prospective subscribers per aerial plant mile of extension and fifty prospective subscribers per underground plant mile of extension, extend such trunk and feeder to public and private elementary and secondary schools in such franchise areas and offer one instructional television channel as part of its basic service. Each such company may utilize such instructional television channel for noninstructional television programming during any time when the channel is not needed for instructional programming. No such company shall be required to offer the instructional television channel on or after July 1, 1995, unless the Commission for [Educational] Technology Advancement certifies to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority that educational agencies in the company's franchise area have utilized the instructional television channel to provide, during the school year, an average of not less than twenty hours per week of credit and noncredit instructional programming, programming supporting school curricula and programming for professional development.
Sec. 11. Subsection (a) of section 4d-1a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):
(a) (1) Wherever the term "Chief Information Officer of the Department of Information Technology" is used in the following general statutes, the term "Commissioner of Administrative Services" shall be substituted in lieu thereof; (2) wherever the term "Chief Information Officer" is used in the following general statutes, the term "commissioner" shall be substituted in lieu thereof; and (3) wherever the term "Department of Information Technology" is used in the following general statutes, the term "Department of Administrative Services" shall be substituted in lieu thereof: 1-205, 1-211, 1-212, 1-283, 3-117, 4d-3, 4d-5, 4d-10, 4d-11, 4d-14, 4d-38, 4d-41, 4d-42, 4d-43, 4d-81a, 4d-82a, 4d-83, [4d-84,] 10-5b, 10-10a, 18-81x, 19a-110, 19a-750, 32-6i, 54-105a, 54-142q, 54-142r and 54-142s.
Sec. 12. Sections 4d-84 and 4d-85 of the general statutes are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2013)
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
July 1, 2013 |
4d-80 |
Sec. 2 |
July 1, 2013 |
4d-81 |
Sec. 3 |
July 1, 2013 |
4d-82(a) |
Sec. 4 |
July 1, 2013 |
10-4h(a) |
Sec. 5 |
July 1, 2013 |
10-262n(b) |
Sec. 6 |
July 1, 2013 |
10-262o |
Sec. 7 |
July 1, 2013 |
10a-143b |
Sec. 8 |
July 1, 2013 |
11-2b |
Sec. 9 |
July 1, 2013 |
16-331(d)(5) |
Sec. 10 |
July 1, 2013 |
16-333h(a) |
Sec. 11 |
July 1, 2013 |
4d-1a(a) |
Sec. 12 |
July 1, 2013 |
Repealer section |
PD |
Joint Favorable Subst. |
|
ET |
Joint Favorable |