AB266: Bill Text

LRB-2068/2

MDK&MJL:jlg:lp

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

CORRECTED COPY

1999 Assembly BILL 266

April 9, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Huebsch, Hutchison, Ainsworth, Kelso, Owens, Petrowski, Seratti and Vrakas, cosponsored by Senators Welch and Roessler. Referred to Committee on Information Policy.

AB266,1,5 An Act to amend 20.275 (1) (s), (t) and (tm), 119.04 (1), 196.218 (4r) (b), 196.218 (4r) (c) 1., 2., 3. and 4., 196.218 (4r) (e) and 196.218 (5) (a) 5.; and to create 120.12 (26), 196.218 (4r) (a) 1m. and 196.218 (4r) (i) of the statutes; relating to: requiring certain educational agencies to install filtering software on computers connected to the internet and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the technology for educational achievement in Wisconsin board (TEACH board) administers an educational telecommunications access program under which certain educational agencies, including school districts, are provided assistance in obtaining access to data lines and video links. This bill provides that an educational agency is not eligible for assistance under the program unless the agency installs software on its computers that blocks internet access to material that the agency determines is inappropriate for minors.

This bill also requires school boards to install filtering software on computers owned by the school board and connected to the internet to block access to material that the school board determines to be inappropriate for pupils.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB266, s. 1 Section 1. 20.275 (1) (s), (t) and (tm) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB266,2,10 20.275 (1) (s) Educational telecommunications access support; school districts, cooperative educational service agencies and technical college districts. Biennially, from the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts with the department of administration under s. 16.974 (7) (a) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (is) and, prior to July 1, 2002, to make grants prior to July 1, 2001, to school districts under s. 196.218 (4r) (g) and to make grants to educational school districts, cooperative educational service agencies and technical college districts under s. 196.218 (4r) (i).

AB266,2,16 (t) Educational telecommunications access support; private colleges and public library boards. Biennially, from the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts with the department of administration under s. 16.974 (7) (b) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (is) and to make grants to private colleges and public library boards under s. 196.218 (4r) (i).

AB266,3,2 (tm) Educational telecommunications access support; private schools. Biennially, from the universal service fund, the amounts in the schedule to make payments to telecommunications providers under contracts with the department of administration under s. 16.974 (7) (c) to the extent that the amounts due are not paid from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (is) and, prior to July 1, 2002, to make grants to private schools under s. 196.218 (4r) (g) and to make grants to private schools under s. 196.218 (4r) (i).

AB266, s. 2 Section 2. 119.04 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act 77, is amended to read:

AB266,3,12 119.04 (1) Subchapters IV, V and VII of ch. 115, ch. 121 and ss. 66.03 (3) (c), 115.01 (1) and (2), 115.28, 115.31, 115.33, 115.34, 115.343, 115.345, 115.361, 115.38 (2), 115.45, 118.001 to 118.04, 118.06, 118.07, 118.10, 118.12, 118.125 to 118.14, 118.145 (4), 118.15, 118.153, 118.16, 118.162, 118.163, 118.164, 118.18, 118.19, 118.20, 118.24 (1), (2) (c) to (f), (6) and (8), 118.245, 118.255, 118.258, 118.291, 118.30 to 118.43, 118.51, 118.52, 118.55, 120.12 (5) and (15) to (25) (26), 120.125, 120.13 (1), (2) (b) to (g), (3), (14), (17) to (19), (26), (34) and (35) and 120.14 are applicable to a 1st class city school district and board.

AB266, s. 3 Section 3. 120.12 (26) of the statutes is created to read:

AB266,3,16 120.12 (26) Computer software. Install filtering software on all computers owned by the school board and connected to the internet to block access to material that the school board determines to be inappropriate for pupils.

AB266, s. 4 Section 4. 196.218 (4r) (a) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:

AB266,3,20 196.218 (4r) (a) 1m. "Educational agency" means a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college or public library board.

AB266, s. 5 Section 5. 196.218 (4r) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB266,4,2 196.218 (4r) (b) The commission, in consultation with the department and the board, shall promulgate rules establishing an educational telecommunications access program to provide school districts, private schools, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, private colleges and public library boards educational agencies with access to data lines and video links.

AB266, s. 6 Section 6. 196.218 (4r) (c) 1., 2., 3. and 4. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB266,4,11 196.218 (4r) (c) 1. Allow a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college and public library board an educational agency to make a request to the board for access to either one data line or one video link, except that if a school district operates more than one high school the rules shall allow the school district to request access to both a data line and a video link and to request access to more than one data line or video link. The board shall forward requests received under this subdivision to the commission and the department.

AB266,4,18 2. Establish eligibility requirements for a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college and public library board an educational agency to participate in the program established under par. (b). The requirements shall prohibit a participant in the program from receiving assistance from the universal service fund for the purpose specified in sub. (5) (a) 3. for educational telecommunications access that is substantially similar to the access provided to the participant under the program.

AB266,4,22 3. Establish specifications for a data line or video link that is provided to a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college and public library board an educational agency under the program established under par. (b).

AB266,5,6 4. Require a school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college and public library board an educational agency to pay the department not more than $250 per month for each data line or video link that is provided to the school district, private school, cooperative educational service agency, technical college district, private college and public library board educational agency under the program established under par. (b), except that the charge may not exceed $100 per month for each data line or video link that relies on a transport medium that operates at a speed of 1.544 megabits per second.

AB266, s. 7 Section 7. 196.218 (4r) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB266,5,14 196.218 (4r) (e) If the federal communications commission promulgates or modifies rules that provide rate discounts for telecommunications services to school districts, private schools, cooperative educational service agencies, technical college districts, private colleges or public library boards educational agencies under 47 USC 254, the governor shall submit a report to the joint committee on finance that includes any recommended changes to statutes or rules with respect to funding the program established under par. (b).

AB266, s. 8 Section 8. 196.218 (4r) (i) of the statutes is created to read:

AB266,5,23 196.218 (4r) (i) An educational agency is not eligible to participate in the program established under under par. (b) or to receive a grant under par. (g) unless the educational agency installs filtering software on all computers owned by the educational agency and connected to the internet to block access to material that the educational agency determines to be inappropriate for minors. From the appropriation under s. 20.275 (1) (s), (t) or (tm), the board may award grants to educational agencies to provide assistance for purchasing and installing software required under this paragraph.

AB266, s. 9 Section 9. 196.218 (5) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB266,6,3 196.218 (5) (a) 5. To pay costs incurred under contracts under s. 16.974 (7) to the extent that these costs are not paid under sub. (4r) (c) 4. and for the board to make grants under sub. (4r) (i).

AB266, s. 10 Section 10. Effective date.

AB266,6,6 (1) This act takes effect on first day of the 13th month beginning after publication.

AB266,6,7 (End)