1     
SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY AMENDMENTS

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Travis M. Seegmiller

5     
Senate Sponsor: Todd D. Weiler

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Judiciary Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10               Legislative Vote:     13 voting for     1 voting against     2 absent
11     General Description:
12          This bill requires digital resources, provided by UETN to Utah's public schools, to
13     block obscene or pornographic material.
14     Highlighted Provisions:
15          This bill:
16          ▸     defines terms;
17          ▸     requires a digital resource provider to ensure that the digital resource provider's
18     products used in public schools block "obscene or pornographic material";
19          ▸     provides that a digital resource provider's failure to comply with this bill after
20     receiving notice is a breach of contract;
21          ▸     requires UETN to enter into contracts with digital resource providers that comply
22     with the provisions of this bill; and
23          ▸     imposes a reporting requirement.
24     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
25          None
26     Other Special Clauses:
27          None

28     Utah Code Sections Affected:
29     AMENDS:
30          53B-17-101.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 63
31     ENACTS:
32          53B-17-109, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33     

34     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35          Section 1. Section 53B-17-101.5 is amended to read:
36          53B-17-101.5. Definitions.
37          As used in this part:
38          (1) "Board" means the Utah Education and Telehealth Network Board.
39          (2) "Education Advisory Council" means the Utah Education Network Advisory
40     Council created in Section 53B-17-107.
41          (3) "Digital resource" means a digital or online library resource, including a database.
42          (4) "Digital resource provider" means an entity that offers a digital resource to
43     customers for license or sale.
44          (5) "Obscene or pornographic material" means material that:
45          (a) an average person, applying contemporary community standards, finds that, taken
46     as a whole, appeals to prurient interest in sex;
47          (b) is patently offensive in the description or depiction of nudity, sexual conduct,
48     sexual excitement, sadomasochistic abuse, or excretion; and
49          (c) taken as a whole does not have serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
50          [(3)] (6) "Telehealth" means the electronic transfer, exchange, or management of
51     related data for diagnosis, treatment, and consultation, and educational, public health, or other
52     related purposes.
53          [(4)] (7) "Telehealth Advisory Council" means the Utah Telehealth Advisory Council
54     created in Section 53B-17-106.
55          [(5)] (8) "Utah Education and Telehealth Network," or "UETN," means a consortium
56     and partnership between public and higher education, the Utah Department of Health, and
57     health care providers, that is created in Section 53B-17-105.
58          Section 2. Section 53B-17-109 is enacted to read:

59          53B-17-109. Digital resource standards.
60          (1) A digital resource purchased or licensed by UETN and offered to students in public
61     schools must have safety policies and technology protection measures that:
62          (a) prohibit and prevent a public school student using the resource from sending,
63     receiving, viewing, or downloading obscene or pornographic material; and
64          (b) filter or block access to obscene or pornographic material.
65          (2) (a) Regardless of any contract provision to the contrary, if UETN discovers a digital
66     resource does not meet the requirements described in Subsection (1), UETN:
67          (i) shall notify the digital resource provider; and
68          (ii) may withhold future payments pending the digital resource provider's compliance
69     with Subsection (1).
70          (b) A digital resource provider is in breach of contract if the digital resource provider
71     fails to verify compliance with Subsection (1) within 90 days after the day on which UETN
72     provides the notice described in Subsection (2)(a)(i).
73          (c) Beginning June 1, 2021, a contract UETN enters into for a digital resource shall
74     contain provisions that comply with this section.
75          (3) Before November 30 of each year, UETN shall submit a report to the Education
76     Interim Committee detailing all instances of a digital resource provider's failure to comply with
77     the provisions of this section.