Senate Bill sb1724c1
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1724
By the Committee on Education; and Senators Wilson, Rich,
Miller and Bullard
581-2286-05
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to discounted computers and
3 Internet access for students; creating a
4 program to offer discounted computers and
5 Internet access to public school students in
6 grades 5 through 12; authorizing the Department
7 of Education to negotiate terms with computer
8 manufacturers or nonprofit corporations;
9 requiring the department to negotiate terms
10 with broadband Internet access providers;
11 requiring the department to adopt rules,
12 including rules for provision of technical
13 training to students; requiring the Digital
14 Divide Council to implement a pilot project to
15 assist low-income students with purchasing
16 discounted computers and Internet access
17 services; requiring the council to identify
18 eligibility criteria for participation in the
19 pilot project; providing for funding and
20 authorizing the council to accept grants to
21 implement the pilot project; providing an
22 effective date.
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24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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26 Section 1. Discounted computers and Internet access
27 for students.--
28 (1) There is created a program to offer computers and
29 Internet access at a discounted price to students enrolled in
30 grades 5 through 12 in a public school in the state.
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1724
581-2286-05
1 (2) The Department of Education may negotiate with
2 computer manufacturers or nonprofit corporations that obtain
3 reconditioned computer hardware concerning:
4 (a) The prices of discounted computers and whether
5 computer accessories such as printers or scanners will be
6 offered to the students at reduced prices.
7 (b) Specialized software and hardware packages,
8 including, but not limited to:
9 1. A word processor;
10 2. Software and hardware necessary to enable broadband
11 Internet access; and
12 3. An operating system.
13 (c) The type of warranty that is to be provided to the
14 students and whether an extended warranty will be available to
15 the students and under what terms.
16 (3) The Department of Education shall negotiate with
17 broadband Internet access providers concerning the prices of
18 discounted broadband Internet access packages. In areas in
19 which broadband Internet access is not currently available,
20 the department shall negotiate with non-broadband Internet
21 access providers.
22 (4) The Department of Education shall adopt rules
23 concerning:
24 (a) How to integrate into this program the provision
25 of computer or technical training to students in their
26 respective school districts.
27 (b) How parents and students may be notified of the
28 discounted computer and Internet access choices available.
29 (c) The distribution of eligibility certificates to
30 the students, the locations at which discounted computers and
31 Internet access services are available for purchase, and how
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1724
581-2286-05
1 students may obtain and pay for the equipment and services
2 covered by this program.
3 Section 2. Discounted computers and Internet access
4 for low-income students; pilot project.--
5 (1) The Digital Divide Council, in consultation with
6 the Department of Education, shall implement a pilot project
7 to assist low-income students to purchase discounted computers
8 and Internet access services as negotiated by the department.
9 The council shall identify counties, grade levels, and
10 low-income eligibility criteria for participation in the pilot
11 project.
12 (2) The pilot project shall be funded in an amount to
13 be determined in the General Appropriations Act. The Digital
14 Divide Council is authorized to accept grants from additional
15 public and private sources to implement the pilot project.
16 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.
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Florida Senate - 2005 CS for SB 1724
581-2286-05
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 1724
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4 Creates a program to offer computers and Internet access at
discounted prices to students enrolled in grades 5 through 12
5 in a Florida public school.
6 Clarifies that students are responsible to pay for computers,
Internet access and software/hardware packages.
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Authorizes the DOE to negotiate with computer manufacturers or
8 nonprofit corporations.
9 Requires the DOE to negotiate with broadband Internet access
providers, and possibly non-broadband Internet access
10 providers, concerning Internet access packages.
11 Requires the DOE to adopt rules concerning how parents and
students may be notified about computer and Internet access
12 choices.
13 Creates a pilot project, to be implemented by the Digital
Divide Council and the DOE, to assist low-income students in
14 purchasing discounted computers and Internet access services.
15 Requires the pilot project to be funded as determined by the
General Appropriations Act and also authorizes the Digital
16 Divide Council to accept grants to implement the project.
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