First Substitute H.B. 249
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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill provides funding for school districts and charter schools to facilitate the
10 adoption of digital textbooks.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . provides for grants to school districts and charter schools for:
14 . the purchase of digital textbooks, personal mobile devices, and desktop or
15 laptop computers;
16 . professional development for educators; and
17 . peripherals and networking equipment;
18 . requires the State Board of Education to report on the use of the grants to facilitate
19 the adoption of digital textbooks; and
20 . repeals provisions related to grants for digital textbooks on July 1, 2024.
21 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22 This bill appropriates:
23 . to the State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative
24 Programs, as an ongoing appropriation:
25 . from the Education Fund, $1,000,000.
26 Other Special Clauses:
27 This bill provides an effective date.
28 Utah Code Sections Affected:
29 AMENDS:
30 63I-2-253 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapters 173 and 434
31 ENACTS:
32 53A-1-710 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
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34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 53A-1-710 is enacted to read:
36 53A-1-710. Grants for digital textbooks.
37 (1) As used in this section "hardware" means:
38 (a) personal mobile devices; and
39 (b) desktop or laptop computers.
40 (2) (a) The State Board of Education shall award grants to a school district or charter
41 school to facilitate the adoption of digital textbooks.
42 (b) A school district or charter school that receives a grant under Subsection (2)(a) may
43 use the grant for:
44 (i) digital textbooks;
45 (ii) hardware;
46 (iii) professional development for educators related to the use of the technology
47 described in Subsections (2)(b)(i) and (ii); or
48 (iv) peripherals or networking equipment, including a wireless network.
49 (3) (a) The State Board of Education shall solicit proposals from school districts and
50 charter schools for the use of the grant to facilitate the adoption of digital textbooks.
51 (b) In awarding a grant under Subsection (2), the State Board of Education shall
52 consider the applicant's capacity to use the grant to serve the greatest number of students
53 possible.
54 (4) The State Board of Education may not award a grant under Subsection (2) that
55 exceeds $500 per student for the purchase of digital textbooks and hardware.
56 (5) (a) The State Board of Education shall report annually to the Public Education
57 Appropriations Subcommittee on the following:
58 (i) the subject area of the classes that converted to digital textbooks;
59 (ii) the cost per student for the conversion to digital textbooks; and
60 (iii) student and teacher satisfaction with digital textbooks.
61 (b) Upon request of the State Board of Education, a school district or charter school
62 that receives a grant under Subsection (2) shall provide to the State Board of Education
63 information that is necessary for the report required in Subsection (5)(a).
64 Section 2. Section 63I-2-253 is amended to read:
65 63I-2-253. Repeal dates -- Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
66 (1) Section 53A-1-402.7 is repealed July 1, 2014.
67 (2) Section 53A-1-403.5 is repealed July 1, 2017.
68 (3) Section 53A-1-411 is repealed July 1, 2016.
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71 (5) Section 53A-1-710 is repealed July 1, 2024.
72 (6) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 10, UPSTART, is repealed July 1, 2014.
73 (7) Title 53A, Chapter 8a, Part 8, Peer Assistance and Review Pilot Program, is
74 repealed July 1, 2017.
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77 Section 3. Appropriation.
78 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
79 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the following sums of money
80 are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
81 previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
82 addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2015.
83 To State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative Programs
84 From Education Fund
$1,000,000
85 Schedule of Programs:
86 Contracts and Grants $1,000,000
87 The Legislature intends that:
88 (1) $500,000 of the appropriation under this section is to be used to purchase the digital
89 textbooks and hardware described in Subsections 53A-1-710 (2)(b)(i) and (ii);
90 (2) $500,000 of the appropriation under this section is to be used for the professional
91 development described in Subsection 53A-1-710 (2)(b)(iii) or to purchase peripherals or
92 networking equipment described in Subsection 53A-1-710 (2)(b)(iv); and
93 (3) the appropriation under this section is:
94 (a) ongoing, subject to availability of funds; and
95 (b) non-lapsing.
96 Section 4. Effective date.
97 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect on May 13, 2014.
98 (2) Uncodified Section 3, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2014.
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