Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1616
       
       
        
       By Senator Bracy
       
       
       
       
       
       11-01473-22                                           20221616__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to student access to Internet
    3         connections and technology; creating s. 1000.09, F.S.;
    4         establishing the Digital Inclusion Technology
    5         Development Initiative; providing the purpose and goal
    6         of the initiative; providing for funding; requiring
    7         the initiative to submit an annual report by a
    8         specified date to the Governor, the Legislature, and
    9         the Commissioner of Education; establishing the
   10         Initiative Educational Technology Advisory Council;
   11         providing for the meetings, membership, terms of
   12         office, and compensation of the council; providing for
   13         expiration of the initiative; providing
   14         appropriations; providing an effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 1000.09, Florida Statutes, is created to
   19  read:
   20         1000.09 Digital Inclusion Technology Development
   21  Initiative; Initiative Educational Technology Advisory Council.—
   22         (1) The Digital Inclusion Technology Development Initiative
   23  is established as a partnership between the Department of
   24  Education and an organization of its choosing.
   25         (a) The purpose of the initiative is to develop
   26  technologies and various approaches to bridge the divide of
   27  Internet inequality throughout this state.
   28         (b) The goal of the initiative is to develop and implement
   29  technologies, strategies, and programs to ensure this state’s
   30  students, regardless of economic status or geographic location,
   31  have access to quality Internet connections and the technologies
   32  needed to succeed in today’s educational environment.
   33         (c) Funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature for
   34  the initiative shall be awarded by the department to the
   35  selected organization to achieve the goals of the initiative.
   36         1. The organization may, with the concurrence of the
   37  department, use a portion of the awarded funds to facilitate
   38  additional engagement with other pertinent organizations in this
   39  state and around the world to pursue the purpose of the
   40  initiative.
   41         2. The organization may not use more than 5 percent of its
   42  awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration or
   43  coordination costs.
   44         3. The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds
   45  with additional funds from private and federal sources.
   46         (d) Beginning January 15, 2024, and each January 15
   47  thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a
   48  report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date
   49  and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the
   50  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
   51  Representatives, and the Commissioner of Education.
   52         (2) There is established within the initiative the
   53  Initiative Educational Technology Advisory Council, an advisory
   54  council as defined in s. 20.03(7), which includes education and
   55  technology development representatives from governmental
   56  entities, private organizations, and public or private research
   57  institutions. The council shall meet at least twice annually.
   58         (a) The council shall be chaired by the governing officer
   59  of the organization selected by the department for the
   60  initiative and shall consist of the following:
   61         1. One member from a private technology company, appointed
   62  by the Governor.
   63         2. One member from a public or private university in this
   64  state, appointed by the President of the Senate.
   65         3. One member from a public or private university in this
   66  state, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
   67         4. Two members from the Department of Education who have
   68  expertise in educational technologies, appointed by the
   69  commissioner.
   70         (b) Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and
   71  may be reappointed.
   72         (c) Council members shall serve without compensation, and
   73  each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its
   74  respective representative.
   75         (3) This section expires June 30, 2027.
   76         Section 2. Beginning in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, and for
   77  each fiscal year thereafter through the 2026-2027 fiscal year,
   78  there is appropriated the sum of $3 million from the General
   79  Revenue Fund to the Department of Education for the purpose of
   80  implementing s. 1000.09, Florida Statutes.
   81         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.