1     
RURAL ONLINE INITIATIVE

2     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Michael E. Noel

5     
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill establishes a pilot program to help individuals living in rural areas take
10     advantage of freelance, job, and business opportunities available online.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     defines terms;
14          ▸     requires Utah State University to:
15               •     administer a pilot program, through a county extension office, to help
16     individuals living in rural areas take advantage of freelance, job, and business
17     opportunities available online;
18               •     include certain components in the pilot program;
19               •     initially administer the pilot program in a geographic area based on certain
20     criteria and expand the pilot program to other geographic areas if resources
21     allow; and
22               •     report to the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim
23     Committee; and
24          ▸     provides a sunset date.
25     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
26          This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2019:
27          ▸     to Utah State University - Cooperative Extension - Rural Workforce Online
28     Development, as a one-time appropriation:
29               •     from the Education Fund, one-time, $2,152,000.     

30               •     from the General Fund, one-time, $120,000.
31     Other Special Clauses:
32          None
33     Utah Code Sections Affected:
34     AMENDS:
35          63I-1-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2017, Chapters 166 and 181
36     ENACTS:
37          53B-18-1501, Utah Code Annotated 1953
38     

39     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
40          Section 1. Section 53B-18-1501 is enacted to read:
41     
Part 15. Rural Online Initiative

42          53B-18-1501. Remote online opportunities -- Pilot program -- Report to
43     Legislature .
44          (1) As used in this section:
45          (a) "Association of governments" means an association of political subdivisions
46     established pursuant to an interlocal agreement under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal
47     Cooperation Act.
48          (b) "Pilot program" means the pilot program administered by Utah State University in
49     accordance with this section.
50          (c) "Remote online opportunity" means employment, including freelance employment,
51     or the operation of an online business for which an individual:
52          (i) can complete duties primarily online; and
53          (ii) is not required to work from a specific geographic location.
54          (2) (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, Utah State University, through a county
55     extension office, shall administer a pilot program that helps individuals who live in rural areas
56     access remote online opportunities.
57          (b) In administering the pilot program, Utah State University shall consider input from

58     a county located in a geographic area selected for the pilot program under Subsection (4).
59          (3) Utah State University shall, as part of the pilot program:
60          (a) provide training modules to adults and high school students;
61          (b) coordinate with rural high schools and postsecondary institutions;
62          (c) develop marketing materials;
63          (d) develop relationships with information technology companies that offer remote
64     online opportunities;
65          (e) partner with websites that list freelance remote online opportunities;
66          (f) provide scholarships for individuals who live in rural areas to access online
67     skill-based training for remote online opportunities;
68          (g) provide one-on-one coaching for an individual who pursues a remote online
69     opportunity; and
70          (h) conduct other activities related to remote online opportunities as determined by
71     Utah State University.
72          (4) (a) Utah State University shall administer the pilot program:
73          (i) in at least one geographic area in the state initially; and
74          (ii) in additional geographic areas if resources allow.
75          (b) In determining where to initially administer the pilot program, Utah State
76     University shall consider whether counties in a geographic area:
77          (i) are primarily rural or have remote rural areas;
78          (ii) face high unemployment rates;
79          (iii) have access to high speed Internet;
80          (iv) have a large percentage of high school graduates leave the geographic area after
81     graduating from high school; and
82          (v) are members of an association of governments that supports helping individuals
83     who live in rural areas access remote online opportunities.
84          (5) On or before November 1, 2020, Utah State University shall report to the Economic
85     Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee on:

86          (a) the number of individuals who receive training through the pilot program;
87          (b) the number and percentage of individuals who participate in the pilot program and
88     access a remote online opportunity; and
89          (c) whether there is a reduction in the unemployment rate in a geographic area included
90     in the pilot program.
91          Section 2. Section 63I-1-253 is amended to read:
92          63I-1-253. Repeal dates, Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
93          The following provisions are repealed on the following dates:
94          (1) Subsection 53-10-202(18) is repealed July 1, 2018.
95          (2) Section 53-10-202.1 is repealed July 1, 2018.
96          [(3) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 6, Public Education Job Enhancement Program, is
97     repealed July 1, 2020.]
98          [(4) Section 53A-13-106.5 is repealed July 1, 2019.]
99          [(5) Section 53A-15-106 is repealed July 1, 2019.]
100          [(6) Sections 53A-15-206 and 53A-15-207 are repealed January 1, 2023.]
101          [(7) Title 53A, Chapter 31, Part 4, American Indian and Alaskan Native Education
102     State Plan Pilot Program, is repealed July 1, 2022.]
103          (3) Section 53B-18-1501 is repealed July 1, 2021.
104          [(8)] (4) Section 53B-24-402, Rural residency training program, is repealed July 1,
105     2020.
106          [(9)] (5) Subsection 53C-3-203(4)(b)(vii), which provides for the distribution of money
107     from the Land Exchange Distribution Account to the Geological Survey for test wells, other
108     hydrologic studies, and air quality monitoring in the West Desert, is repealed July 1, 2020.
109          (6) Section 53E-3-515 is repealed January 1, 2023.
110          (7) Section 53F-2-514 is repealed July 1, 2020.
111          (8) Section 53F-5-203 is repealed July 1, 2019.
112          (9) Title 53F, Chapter 5, Part 6, American Indian and Alaskan Native Education State
113     Plan Pilot Program, is repealed July 1, 2022.

114          (10) Section 53F-6-201 is repealed July 1, 2019.
115          (11) Section 53F-9-501 is repealed January 1, 2023.
116          Section 3. Appropriation.
117          The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
118     2018, and ending June 30, 2019. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
119     fiscal year 2019. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
120     Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
121     indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
122     ITEM 1
123          To Utah State University -- Cooperative Extension
124               From Education Fund, One-time
$2,152,000

125               From General Fund, One-time
$120,000

126               Schedule of Programs:
127                    Rural Online Initiative               $2,272,000
128          The Legislature intends that:
129          (1) Utah State University expend:
130          (a) the appropriation from the General Fund provided under this item for scholarships
131     described in Subsection 53B-18-1501(3)(f); and
132          (b) the appropriation from the Education Fund provided under this item for the pilot
133     program described in Section 53B-18-1501, except for the purposes described in Subsection
134     (1)(a);
135          (2) Utah State University expend the appropriations provided in this item in fiscal
136     years 2019, 2020, and 2021; and
137          (3) under Section 63J-1-603, appropriations provided under this item not lapse at the
138     close of fiscal year 2019 or 2020.