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First Substitute H.B. 53

Representative Ronda Rudd Menlove proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Lyle W. Hillyard

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the governance of the Utah Education Network (UEN).
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    creates the Utah Education Network Board, which is the governing board for UEN;
             13          .    specifies the membership of the Utah Education Network Board;
             14          .    specifies the power and duties of the Utah Education Network Board which include:
             15              .    hiring an executive director for UEN;
             16              .    establishing policy for the operation of UEN and the administration of UEN's
             17      duties; and
             18              .    advising UEN in the development of a telecommunications system to deliver
             19      educational services and the acquisition and distribution of instructional content;
             20      and
             21          .    makes technical amendments.
             22      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             23          None
             24      Other Special Clauses:
             25          This bill provides an immediate effective date.


             26      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             27      AMENDS:
             28          53B-17-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 286
             29          53B-17-104, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 290
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 53B-17-102 is amended to read:
             33           53B-17-102. Utah Education Network.
             34          (1) (a) As used in this part, "Utah Education Network" and "UEN" mean a consortium
             35      and partnership between public and higher education established to:
             36          (i) coordinate and support the telecommunications needs of public and higher
             37      education, public libraries, and other state entities as approved, including the statewide
             38      development and implementation of a network for education, utilizing satellite, microwave,
             39      fiber-optic, broadcast, and other transmission media;
             40          (ii) coordinate the various telecommunications technology initiatives of public and
             41      higher education;
             42          (iii) provide high-quality, cost-effective Internet access and appropriate interface
             43      equipment for schools and school systems;
             44          (iv) procure, install, and maintain telecommunication services and equipment on behalf
             45      of public and higher education;
             46          (v) develop or implement other programs or services for the delivery of distance
             47      learning as directed by law; and
             48          (vi) apply for state and federal funding on behalf of public and higher education.
             49          (b) In performing the duties under this Subsection (1), UEN shall:
             50          (i) provide services to schools, school districts, and the public and higher education
             51      systems through an open and competitive bidding process;
             52          (ii) work with the private sector to deliver high-quality, cost-effective services; [and]
             53          (iii) avoid duplicating facilities, equipment or services of private providers of public
             54      telecommunications service, as defined under Section 54-8b-2 [.];
             55          (iv) utilize statewide economic development criteria in the design and implementation
             56      of the educational telecommunications infrastructure; and


             57          (v) assure that public service entities such as educators, public service providers, and
             58      public broadcasters are provided access to the telecommunications infrastructure developed in
             59      the state.
             60          (2) The University of Utah shall provide administrative management for UEN.
             61          [(3) (a) The governor shall appoint a statewide steering committee of representatives
             62      from public and higher education, state government, and private industry to advise UEN in the
             63      development and operation of a coordinated, statewide, multi-option telecommunications
             64      system to assist in the delivery of educational services throughout the state.]
             65          (3) (a) The Utah Education Network Board, which is the governing board for UEN, is
             66      created.
             67          (b) The Utah Education Network Board shall be appointed as follows:
             68          (i) (A) The state superintendent of public instruction shall appoint four members to
             69      represent the state system of public education.
             70          (B) In selecting members to represent the state system of public education, the state
             71      superintendent of public instruction shall select members from different regions of the state and
             72      both urban and rural areas.
             73          (ii) (A) The commissioner of higher education shall appoint four members to represent
             74      the state system of higher education.
             75          (B) In selecting members to represent the state system of higher education, the
             76      commissioner of higher education shall select members from different regions of the state and
             77      both urban and rural areas.
             78          (iii) The president of the Utah College of Applied Technology shall appoint one
             79      member to represent the Utah College of Applied Technology.
             80          (iv) The governor shall appoint:
             81          (A) one member to represent the state library; and
             82          (B) one member to represent the Office of the Governor.
             83          [(b)] (c) Except as required by Subsection (3)[(c)](d), members shall be appointed to
             84      four-year terms.
             85          [(c) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection (3)(b), the]
             86          (d) The governor, state superintendent of public instruction, and commissioner of
             87      higher education shall, at the time of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of terms


             88      to ensure that the terms of [committee] Utah Education Network Board members are staggered
             89      so that approximately half of the [committee] Utah Education Network Board is appointed
             90      every two years.
             91          [(d)] (e) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the replacement
             92      shall be appointed for the unexpired term.
             93          (f) (i) The Utah Education Network Board shall elect:
             94          (A) a cochair from the members representing the state system of public education; and
             95          (B) a cochair from the members representing the state system of higher education.
             96          (ii) The cochairs shall set the agenda for Utah Education Network Board meetings.
             97          (4) A member of the Utah Education Network Board may not receive compensation or
             98      benefits for the member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance
             99      with:
             100          (a) Section 63A-3-106 ;
             101          (b) Section 63A-3-107 ; and
             102          (c) rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 63A-3-106 and
             103      63A-3-107 .
             104          (5) The Utah Education Network Board:
             105          (a) shall hire an executive director for UEN, and may terminate the executive director's
             106      employment or assignment;
             107          (b) shall determine the executive director's salary;
             108          (c) shall annually conduct a performance evaluation of the executive director;
             109          (d) shall establish policies the Utah Education Network Board determines are necessary
             110      for the operation of UEN and the administration of UEN's duties;
             111          (e) shall advise UEN in:
             112          (i) the development and operation of a coordinated, statewide, multi-option
             113      telecommunications system to assist in the delivery of educational services throughout the
             114      state; and
             115          (ii) acquiring, producing, and distributing instructional content; and
             116          (f) may establish an advisory council to assist the Utah Education Network Board in
             117      performing its responsibilities under Subsection (5)(e).
             118          (6) The executive director of UEN shall be an at-will employee.


             119          [(5)] (7) UEN shall locate and maintain educational telecommunication infrastructure
             120      throughout the state.
             121          [(6)] (8) Educational institutions shall manage site operations under policy established
             122      by UEN.
             123          [(7)] (9) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall provide an annual
             124      appropriation to operate UEN.
             125          (10) If the network operated by the Department of Technology Services is not
             126      available, UEN may provide network connections to the central administration of counties and
             127      municipalities for the sole purpose of transferring data to a secure facility for backup and
             128      disaster recovery.
             129          Section 2. Section 53B-17-104 is amended to read:
             130           53B-17-104. Responsibilities of the State Board of Regents, the State Board of
             131      Education, the University of Utah, KUED - TV, KUER - FM, and UEN related to public
             132      broadcasting and telecommunication for education and government.
             133          (1) Subject to applicable rules of the Federal Communications Commission and
             134      Section 53B-17-102 , the State Board of Regents, the State Board of Education, and the
             135      University of Utah, KUED - TV, KUER - FM, and UEN shall:
             136          (a) coordinate statewide services of public radio and television;
             137          (b) develop, maintain, and operate statewide distribution systems for KUED - TV,
             138      KUER - FM, and KUEN, the statewide distance learning service, the educational data network,
             139      connections to the Internet, and other telecommunications services appropriate for providing
             140      video, audio, and data telecommunication services in support of public and higher education,
             141      state government, and public libraries;
             142          (c) support the delivery of these services to as many communities as may be
             143      economically and technically feasible and lawfully permissible under the various operating
             144      licenses;
             145          (d) cooperate with state and local governmental and educational agencies and provide
             146      leadership and consulting service for telecommunication for education;
             147          (e) represent the state with privately owned telecommunications systems to gain access
             148      to their networks for the delivery of programs and services sponsored or produced by public
             149      and higher education;


             150          (f) acquire, produce, coordinate, and distribute a variety of programs and services of an
             151      educational, cultural, informative, and entertaining nature designed to promote the public
             152      interest and welfare of the state;
             153          (g) coordinate with the state system of higher education to acquire, produce, and
             154      distribute broadcast and nonbroadcast college credit telecourses, teleconferences, and other
             155      instructional and training services;
             156          (h) coordinate with [the State Board of Education and] school districts and public
             157      schools to acquire, produce, and distribute broadcast and nonbroadcast telecourses,
             158      teleconferences, and other instructional and training services to the public schools;
             159          (i) [act as] coordinate the development of a clearing house for the materials, courses,
             160      publications, media, software, and other applicable information related to the items addressed
             161      in Subsections (1)(g) and (h);
             162          (j) coordinate [with the State Board of Education to assist in providing the public
             163      schools of Utah with] the provision of the following services to public schools:
             164          (i) broadcast, during school hours, of educational and administrative programs
             165      recommended by the State Board of Education;
             166          (ii) [duplication and encoding of program masters] digitization of programs for
             167      broadcast purposes; and
             168          (iii) program previewing;
             169          (k) share responsibility [with the State Board of Education] for Instructional Television
             170      (ITV) awareness and utilization; and
             171          (l) provide teleconference and training services for state and local governmental
             172      agencies.
             173          [(2) UEN shall:]
             174          [(a) consult with the UEN steering committee authorized in Section 53B-17-102 and
             175      other technology coordinating committees established by the State Board of Education and
             176      State Board of Regents in acquiring, producing, and distributing instructional content;]
             177          [(b) coordinate the statewide development and implementation of the data network for
             178      education, which shall include video and audio, data connections, and connection to the
             179      Internet, utilizing satellite, microwave, fiber-optic, and other transmission media;]
             180          [(c) utilize statewide economic development criteria in the design and implementation


             181      of the educational telecommunications infrastructure;]
             182          [(d) assure that public service entities such as educators, public service providers, and
             183      public broadcasters are provided access to the telecommunications infrastructures that are
             184      developed in the state.]
             185          [(3) If the network operated by the Department of Technology Services is not available,
             186      UEN may provide network connections to the central administration of counties and
             187      municipalities for the sole purpose of transferring data to a secure facility for backup and
             188      disaster recovery.]
             189          [(4)] (2) This section neither regulates nor restricts a privately owned company in the
             190      distribution or dissemination of education programs.
             191          Section 3. Effective date.
             192          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             193      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             194      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             195      the date of veto override.


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