2929-S.E [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to telecommunications, telecommunications planning, and higher education technology; amending RCW 43.105.032; adding a new section to chapter 43.105 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that up-to-date technology is a critical ingredient in the preparation of an educated and knowledgeable work force and citizenry. Expansion of access to higher education through distance learning is an activity that merits the support of the state legislature.

The development of a distance education system using technology will provide great opportunities for change in the delivery of educational services and deserves due deliberation and coordinated policy planning to ensure that the high standards of program quality and cost-efficient service are enhanced.

The legislature finds that, in order to facilitate lifelong learning, educational technology systems must be coordinated among all educational sectors, with the other entities of federal, state, and local government, and be readily accessible to the general population of the state. It is the intent of the legislature to make maximum use of a common telecommunications backbone network in building or expanding education technology systems.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The higher education network and distance education committee is established with the purpose of designing a higher education distance education network and implementation plan.

The department of information services shall convene, in cooperation with the higher education coordinating board, a committee to assist in the development of the design and implementation plan. The committee shall include the following members or their designees: The director of the department of information services; the executive director of the higher education coordinating board; one community or technical college president, appointed by the state board for community and technical colleges; one president of a public baccalaureate institution, appointed by the council of presidents; the state librarian; the superintendent of public instruction; and on a nonvoting basis, one representative of private colleges and one representative of the computer or telecommunications industry, each appointed by the higher education coordinating board. The committee may appoint advisory subcommittees including, but not limited to, persons representing: The state board of education, the work force training and education coordinating board, the state board for community and technical colleges, the commission on student learning, the higher education coordinating board, educational service districts, higher education administrators, faculty, classified staff, secondary education teachers, parents, students, private institutions of higher education, public libraries, and representatives of the technology and telecommunication industry.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The network design shall: (a) Maximize existing networks and video telecommunications resources owned or operated by the state; (b) minimize duplication of technology resources and education programs or degrees at institutions; (c) provide optimum geographic and social distribution of the benefits of a network; (d) ensure that the network can be expanded and upgraded, is based on an open-architecture model, and connects to national and worldwide information infrastructures; (e) foster partnerships among public, private, and nonprofit entities, including private institutions of higher education; and (f) provide for future access by public entities on a no-cost or low-cost basis. Such entities shall include, but are not limited to public libraries, public hospitals, public schools, and public service agencies.

(2) The design shall detail which sites shall be connected to the network and the technologies to be used at each site. In developing the design, the committee shall evaluate the benefits of purchasing additional hardware versus leasing network services from the public or private sector.

(3) The implementation plan shall prioritize investments into phases to be funded by the legislature. The plan shall also incorporate specific funding options that are appropriate for the 1997 supplemental budget and subsequent biennial budgets. The committee shall ensure that in each phase: (a) The addition of a site or sites to the network will result in a completed link and the capability to operate distance education programs; (b) the sites added in each phase have an approved service delivery plan in accordance with section 4 of this act; and (c) each phase has completed a request for proposal process.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Working in conjunction with the committee, the higher education coordinating board shall approve a service delivery plan, including an assessment of community needs, programming, and service levels, that provides for effective use of network resources at each site included in the design of the network. The board shall also approve a network governance structure, ensuring participation by all members of the network.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The committee shall submit for approval or modification, the higher education distance education network design and implementation plan to the information services board. Upon approval the board shall submit the design and implementation plan to the office of financial management and the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the legislature by October 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 43.105 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of information services may receive such gifts, grants, legislative appropriations, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the higher education distance education network and expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

(2) The higher education technology account is hereby established in the custody of the state treasurer. The department of information services shall deposit in the account all moneys received from gifts, grants, or endowments for education technology. Moneys in the account may be spent only for implementation of the higher education network. Disbursements from the account shall be on authorization of the director of the department with approval of the information services board. The account is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

Sec. 7. RCW 43.105.032 and 1992 c 20 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

There is hereby created the Washington state information services board. The board shall be composed of ((~~nine~~)) twelve members. ((~~Seven~~)) Eight members shall be appointed by the governor, one of ((~~which~~)) whom shall be a representative of higher education, one of whom shall be a representative of K-12 education, one of ((~~which~~)) whom shall be a representative of an agency under a state-wide elected official other than the governor, and ((~~one~~)) two of ((~~which~~)) whom shall be ((a)) representatives of the private sector. One member shall represent the judicial branch and be appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court. ((~~One member shall represent the legislative branch and shall be selected by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.~~)) One member shall represent the house of representatives and shall be selected by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member shall represent the senate and shall be appointed by the president of the senate. The representatives of the house of representatives and senate shall not be from the same political party. These members shall constitute the membership of the board with full voting rights. Members of the board shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The director shall be ((~~an ex officio, nonvoting~~)) a voting member of the board. The board shall select a chairperson from among its members.

Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner that the original appointments were made.

A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Members of the board shall be compensated for service on the board in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall expire June 30, 1997.