FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2197

FULL VETO

Brief Description:  Creating the K‑20 education technology revolving fund.

Sponsors:  Representatives Huff, H. Sommers, Carlson, Wensman, Talcott, Clements, O'Brien, Hatfield, Cooke, Dickerson and Kessler.

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:  The 1996 Legislature enacted legislation creating the K-20 Education Network.  The purpose of the network is to enhance the education system=s ability to access telecommunications resources and to provide citizen access to quality primary, secondary, and postsecondary courses and degree programs state-wide through distance education.  The establishment of a common telecommunications backbone network will provide the infrastructure upon which to build a coordinated educational technology system.  The K-20 technology account was created to receive all monies from legislative appropriations, gifts, and endowments in support of the K-20 telecommunications system.  The account is subject to appropriation by the Legislature.   The 1995-97 Appropriations Act provided $54.3 million for construction and start-up of a shared state educational telecommunications infrastructure. The Governor vetoed $12 million of that total funding amount.  Oversight for the K-20 Education Network is provided by the Telecommunications Oversight and Policy Committee (TOPC).  The committee=s responsibilities include the planning and direction of the K-20 Education Network infrastructure, the purchase of equipment, and the development of a funding structure to support the ongoing operations and maintenance of the network.

Summary:  The education and technology revolving fund is created in the state treasury.  The Department of Information Services, in conjunction with educational entities participating in the K-20 network, must establish a billing structure that results in all network users paying an equitable share of costs based on their usage.  The Office of Financial Management must review and approve the billing structure.  The revolving fund must only be used for the acquisition of equipment, software, supplies and services, and other costs incidental to the acquisition, development, operation, and administration of shared educational information technology services, telecommunications, and systems.  The director of the Department of Information Services or the director=s designee may authorize expenditures from the revolving fund.  Disbursements from the revolving fund are subject to the Office of Financial Management=s allotment procedures as required by the Budget and Accounting Act.

Since there are two funding sources, the K-20 technology account and the education and technology revolving fund, the Department of Information Services is no longer required to deposit all moneys received from legislative appropriations, gifts, grants, and endowments into the K-20 technology account. 

Votes on Final Passage:

House  96 0

Senate 45 0