1     
RURAL ONLINE INITIATIVE SUNSET AMENDMENTS

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Derrin R. Owens

5     
House Sponsor: Carl R. Albrecht

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee recommended
10     this bill.
11               Legislative Vote:     12 voting for     0 voting against     5 absent
12     General Description:
13          This bill modifies the rural online opportunities program (program) administered by
14     Utah State University.
15     Highlighted Provisions:
16          This bill:
17          ▸     defines terms;
18          ▸     modifies the reporting requirements of the program;
19          ▸     removes the sunset date of the program; and
20          ▸     makes technical changes.
21     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22          None
23     Other Special Clauses:
24          None
25     Utah Code Sections Affected:
26     AMENDS:
27          53B-18-1501, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 385
28          63I-1-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapters 154, 174, 214, 234, 242,
29     269, 335, and 354
30     

31     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
32          Section 1. Section 53B-18-1501 is amended to read:
33          53B-18-1501. Remote online opportunities program -- Report to Legislature .
34          (1) As used in this section:
35          (a) "Association of governments" means an association of political subdivisions
36     established pursuant to an interlocal agreement under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal
37     Cooperation Act.
38          (b) ["Pilot program"] "Program" means the [pilot] program administered by Utah State
39     University in accordance with this section.
40          (c) "Remote online opportunity" means employment, including freelance employment,
41     or the operation of an online business for which an individual:
42          (i) can complete duties primarily online; and
43          (ii) is not required to work from a specific geographic location.
44          (2) (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, Utah State University, through a county
45     extension office, shall administer a [pilot] program that helps individuals who live in rural
46     areas access remote online opportunities.
47          (b) In administering the [pilot] program, Utah State University shall consider input
48     from a county located in a geographic area selected for the [pilot] program under Subsection
49     (4).
50          (3) Utah State University shall, as part of the [pilot] program:
51          (a) provide training modules to adults and high school students;
52          (b) coordinate with rural high schools and postsecondary institutions;
53          (c) develop marketing materials;
54          (d) develop relationships with information technology companies that offer remote
55     online opportunities;
56          (e) partner with websites that list freelance remote online opportunities;
57          (f) provide scholarships for individuals who live in rural areas to access online
58     skill-based training for remote online opportunities;
59          (g) provide one-on-one coaching for an individual who pursues a remote online
60     opportunity; and
61          (h) conduct other activities related to remote online opportunities as determined by
62     Utah State University.
63          (4) (a) Utah State University shall administer the [pilot] program:
64          (i) in at least one geographic area in the state initially; and
65          (ii) in additional geographic areas if resources allow.
66          (b) In determining where to initially administer the [pilot] program, Utah State
67     University shall consider whether counties in a geographic area:
68          (i) are primarily rural or have remote rural areas;
69          (ii) face high unemployment rates;
70          (iii) have access to high speed Internet;
71          (iv) have a large percentage of high school graduates leave the geographic area after
72     graduating from high school; and
73          (v) are members of an association of governments that supports helping individuals
74     who live in rural areas access remote online opportunities.
75          (5) On or before November 1, 2020, and on or before November 1 every third year
76     thereafter, Utah State University shall report to the Economic Development and Workforce
77     Services Interim Committee on:
78          (a) the number of individuals who receive training through the [pilot] program;
79          (b) the number and percentage of individuals who participate in the [pilot] program and
80     access a remote online opportunity; and
81          (c) whether there is a reduction in the unemployment rate in a geographic area included
82     in the [pilot] program.
83          Section 2. Section 63I-1-253 is amended to read:
84          63I-1-253. Repeal dates, Titles 53 through 53G.
85          (1) Section 53-2a-105, which creates the Emergency Management Administration
86     Council, is repealed July 1, 2021.
87          (2) Sections 53-2a-1103 and 53-2a-1104, which create the Search and Rescue Advisory
88     Board, are repealed July 1, 2022.
89          (3) Section 53-5-703, which creates the Concealed Firearm Review Board, is repealed
90     July 1, 2023.
91          (4) Subsection 53-6-203(1)(b)(ii), regarding being 19 years old at certification, is
92     repealed July 1, 2027.
93          (5) Subsection 53-13-104(6)(a), regarding being 19 years old at certification, is
94     repealed July 1, 2027.
95          (6) Section 53B-6-105.5, which creates the Technology Initiative Advisory Board, is
96     repealed July 1, 2024.
97          (7) Title 53B, Chapter 17, Part 11, USTAR Researchers, is repealed July 1, 2028.
98          (8) Section 53B-17-1203, which creates the SafeUT and School Safety Commission, is
99     repealed January 1, 2025.
100          [(9) Section 53B-18-1501 is repealed July 1, 2021.]
101          [(10)] (9) Title 53B, Chapter 18, Part 16, USTAR Researchers, is repealed July 1,
102     2028.
103          [(11)] (10) Title 53B, Chapter 24, Part 4, Rural Residency Training Program, is
104     repealed July 1, 2025.
105          [(12)] (11) Subsection 53C-3-203(4)(b)(vii), which provides for the distribution of
106     money from the Land Exchange Distribution Account to the Geological Survey for test wells
107     and other hydrologic studies in the West Desert, is repealed July 1, 2030.
108          [(13)] (12) Section 53E-3-515 is repealed January 1, 2023.
109          [(14)] (13) In relation to a standards review committee, on January 1, 2023:
110          (a) in Subsection 53E-4-202(8), the language "by a standards review committee and the
111     recommendations of a standards review committee established under Section 53E-4-203" is
112     repealed; and
113          (b) Section 53E-4-203 is repealed.
114          [(15)] (14) Subsections 53E-3-503(5) and (6), which create coordinating councils for
115     youth in custody, are repealed July 1, 2027.
116          [(16)] (15) Section 53E-4-402, which creates the State Instructional Materials
117     Commission, is repealed July 1, 2022.
118          [(17)] (16) Title 53E, Chapter 6, Part 5, Utah Professional Practices Advisory
119     Commission, is repealed July 1, 2023.
120          [(18)] (17) Subsection 53E-8-204(4), which creates the advisory council for the Utah
121     Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, is repealed July 1, 2021.
122          [(19)] (18) Section 53F-2-514 is repealed July 1, 2020.
123          [(20)] (19) Section 53F-5-203 is repealed July 1, 2024.
124          [(21)] (20) Section 53F-5-212 is repealed July 1, 2024.
125          [(22)] (21) Section 53F-5-213 is repealed July 1, 2023.
126          [(23)] (22) Section 53F-5-214, in relation to a grant for professional learning, is
127     repealed July 1, 2025.
128          [(24)] (23) Section 53F-5-215, in relation to an elementary teacher preparation grant is
129     repealed July 1, 2025.
130          [(25)] (24) Subsection 53F-9-203(7), which creates the Charter School Revolving
131     Account Committee, is repealed July 1, 2024.
132          [(26)] (25) Section 53F-9-501 is repealed January 1, 2023.
133          [(27)] (26) Subsections 53G-4-608(2)(b) and (4)(b), related to the Utah Seismic Safety
134     Commission, are repealed January 1, 2025.
135          [(28)] (27) Subsection 53G-8-211(5), regarding referrals of a minor to court for a class
136     C misdemeanor, is repealed July 1, 2022.