HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2096

BYRepresentatives Rector, Ballard, Day, Padden, Appelwick, Fuhrman, R. Fisher, Moyer, Youngsman, Dellwo, McLean, Sayan, Anderson, Rayburn, Hankins, Silver, O'Brien, Wolfe, Fraser, H. Myers,  Morris,  R. King, Wineberry, Ebersole, Hine, Wood, Miller, Jacobsen, Heavey, Bristow, Jesernig, Betrozoff, Horn, Gallagher, Prince, Kremen, Cantwell, Nealey, Grant, May, Walker, Inslee, G. Fisher, Rasmussen,  Haugen, D. Sommers, Brough, Crane, Tate, Dorn, Walk, Raiter, Brumsickle, R. Meyers, Bowman, Smith, Baugher, Basich, Ferguson and Spanel

Promoting state-wide video communications.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; Hankins, R. King, Morris, Rector, Sayan and Silver.

House Staff:Barbara McLain (786-7135)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

During the 1987 session, SSB 5977 directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) to develop a model plan for an educational telecommunications network.  During the same session, ESHB 1221 gave the Department of Community Development (DCD) responsibility for studying the feasibility of a video telecommunications system for state government.  The three agencies consulted the Department of Information Services and coordinated their planning efforts and recommendations in order to present an organized planning framework for statewide telecommunications to the Legislature in December, 1988.

K-12 Education:  The SPI plan proposes to deliver classroom instruction and staff inservice programs via satellite by providing telecommunications hardware for all school districts, Educational Service Districts (ESD's), and the SPI office in Olympia.  ESD 101 in Spokane already has satellite and studio production capability for educational programs.

Higher Education:  In the HECB plan, the University of Washington, Washington State University, and Eastern Washington University propose to expand the use of telecommunications for academic and staff inservice programs via existing systems.  Seventeen community colleges have already cooperated to form a Washington Community College Telecommunications Center; the plan calls for expanding this to a satellite network linking all 27 campuses.

State Government:  The Departments of Community Development and Information Services recommend video telecommunications be used by state agencies to broadcast programs from Olympia to branch offices, and to offer public service programming to the general public.

SUMMARY:

In order to transmit classroom training and instruction through telecommunications; provide for public affairs presentations, facilitate communication between state and local officials and the general public; enhance communication within state agencies; and reduce time lost to in-state travel, state government is to adopt the following policies:

            oGive first consideration to using teleconferencing for state meetings which would otherwise entail more than 100 miles of travel;

            oGive heavy consideration to leasing telecommunications services (studio facilities, satellite time, and other transmission hardware) within the next few years; and

            oEnsure that purchased equipment is technically compatible to take advantage of volume procurement and maintenance.

Department of Information Services (DIS):  The Department is directed to:

            oact as the lead agency in coordinating video telecommunication services for state agencies;

            odevelop a plan to purchase telecommunications equipment and provide facilities for transmitting the communications of state agencies across the state;

            oobtain favorable prices for satellite time;

            odevelop common specifications for equipment to ensure compatibility; and

            onegotiate with local cable companies to provide access to public and educational channels across the state.

To carry out these functions, $2,527,164 is appropriated to DIS from the general fund for the 1989-91 biennium.  Out of that appropriation, $875,764 is to be used to purchase transmission services.

Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI):  SPI is directed to provide telecommunications equipment to each local school district and Educational Service District.  An Office of Telecommunications Coordination is created within SPI to assist local districts with planning and programming.

For these purposes, $4,768,000 is appropriated to SPI from the general fund for the 1989-91 biennium.  The appropriation is further broken down as follows:

!tm3,6,1 !tlOffice of Telecommunications Coordination:  $  231,000

!tlTelecommunications programming in ESD 101:  $  810,000

!tlCurriculum and teacher inservice planning:  $  300,000

!tlProgram production and equipment purchase:  $3,427,000

Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB):  HECB is to provide grants for telecommunications equipment to each community college and institution of higher education, and to coordinate information and course offerings to facilitate use of this technology.

To carry out its duties, $1,526,600 is appropriated to HECB from the general fund for the 1989-91 biennium.

Appropriation:    A total of $8,821,764 from the general fund to the Department of Information Services, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 22, 1989.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ginny Tresvant, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; Rich McBride, Harrington School District; Keith James, Harrington High School; Barbara Peterson, Higher Education Coordinating Board; and Alan Brooks, Independent Communication Consultants.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Telecommunications is a viable tool for classroom instruction and staff training.  Students and teachers in rural areas have the opportunity to take classes they might not otherwise be able to take.  Telecommunications could improve communication between branch offices of state agencies and allow the state to offer access to public affairs programming to a large population.  Together the three plans envision a network of shared and coordinated resources.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.