BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to telecommunications, telecommunications planning, and higher education technology; amending 1995 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 903 (uncodified); adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW.

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 and interconnection of the state's higher education technology is an activity that merits the support of the state legislature.

The development of a state higher education delivery 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 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. To those ends, the higher education technology advisory committee is established with the purpose of working in coordination with other state education technology groups such as the educational technology advisory committee in RCW 28A.650.015.

The higher education coordinating board shall appoint a higher education technology advisory committee to assist in the development and implementation of the state's higher education technology plan. The committee shall include, but is 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 department of information services, educational service districts, higher education administrators, faculty, classified staff, secondary education teachers, parents, students, and representatives of the technology and telecommunication industry.

The higher education technology plan shall be developed in conjunction with and according to the guidelines outlined for the Washington telecommunications plan.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The department of information services, in conjunction with the higher education coordinating board, the state board for community and technical colleges, the work force training and education coordinating board, and the state board of education shall convene the Washington telecommunications forum for the development of the Washington telecommunications plan. The plan shall be completed by December 15, 1996, and updated on at least a biennial basis.

(2) The Washington telecommunications planning process shall:

(a) Be based on and reflect Washington's quality of life;

(b) Strengthen Washington's communities and economy;

(c) Support education and training opportunities so that Washington's work force and citizenry can function in the emerging information society;

(d) Recognize the diversity of Washington's regions, and encourage collaborative regional and community planning efforts;

(e) Provide optimum geographic and social distribution of the benefits of advanced telecommunications services;

(f) Include all telecommunications stakeholders, including providers, consumers, and regulators;

(g) Be ongoing and comprehensive;

(h) Assure integration of existing and new telecommunications networks based on open architecture, interconnectivity, and interoperability;

(i) Establish clear goals and benchmarks that can be incorporated at all levels of the planning process;

(j) Actively encourage partnerships among public, private, and nonprofit entities;

(k) Provide the basis for linking state strategy with federal policy; and

(l) Provide the best means for deciding issues such as designing infrastructure, selecting technologies, or implementation strategies, and the sensitive questions of access and equity.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The higher education coordinating board may receive such gifts, grants, 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 educational technology 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 higher education coordinating board 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 education technology. Disbursements from the account shall be on authorization of the executive director of the board or the executive director's designee. The account is subject to the allotment procedure provided under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for disbursements.

Sec. 4. 1995 2nd sp.s. c 18 s 903 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

((~~VIDEO TELECOMMUNICATIONS.~~)) The department of information services shall act as lead agency in coordinating video telecommunications services for state agencies. As lead agency, the department shall develop standards and common specifications for leased and purchased telecommunications equipment and assist state agencies in developing a video telecommunications expenditure plan. No agency may spend any portion of any appropriation ((~~in this act~~)) for new video telecommunication equipment, new video telecommunication transmission, or new video telecommunication programming, or for expanding current video telecommunication systems without first complying with chapter 43.105 RCW, including but not limited to, RCW 43.105.041(2), and without first submitting a video telecommunications expenditure plan, in accordance with the policies of the department of information services, for review and assessment by the department of information services under RCW 43.105.052. Prior to any such expenditure by a public school, a video telecommunications expenditure plan shall be approved by the superintendent of public instruction. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall submit the plans to the department of information services in a form prescribed by the department. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall coordinate the use of video telecommunications in public schools by providing educational information to local school districts and shall assist local school districts and educational service districts in telecommunications planning and curriculum development. Prior to any such expenditure by a public institution of postsecondary education, a telecommunications expenditure plan shall be approved by the higher education coordinating board. The higher education coordinating board shall coordinate the use of video telecommunications for instruction and instructional support in postsecondary education, including the review and approval of instructional telecommunications course offerings.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 1, 2, and 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.