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1 | AN ACT concerning boards and commissions.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Illinois Student Laptop Computer Initiative for 21st Century | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Education Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Section 5. Purpose. The General Assembly finds that in the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | modern knowledge-based economy of the 21st century it is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | critical that all students have access to modern educational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | technology. The General Assembly further finds that universal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | access to laptop computers has been found to increase student | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | assessment test scores and encourage student-parent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | collaborations in learning. The General Assembly further finds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | that the digital divide inhibits access to modern educational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | technology in many rural and inner-city schools. In order to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | meet the goal of universal access to modern educational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | technology, the General Assembly finds it is necessary to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | provide all sixth grade students in public, private, and home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | schools with access to laptop computers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | Section 10. Illinois Student Laptop Commission. There is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | hereby established the Illinois Student Laptop Computer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | Commission. The Commission shall have 5 members, the Lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | Governor and 4 members appointed by the Governor. The | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | Commission shall be chaired by the Lieutenant Governor. The | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | term of office for any Commission member appointed by the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | Governor shall be 3 years. Commission members shall receive no | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | compensation other than reimbursement of legitimate expenses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28 | Section 15. Powers and duties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | (a) The Commission shall ensure, to the greatest extent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30 | possible, that each elementary student in Illinois is given a |
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1 | personal laptop computer by the beginning of that student's | ||||||
2 | sixth grade year. The Commission may use any remaining funds in | ||||||
3 | the Illinois Student Laptop Computer Fund to provide grants to | ||||||
4 | local school districts for the purchase of educational | ||||||
5 | technology, the installation of computer networks in schools, | ||||||
6 | technical assistance, and professional development for | ||||||
7 | teachers. | ||||||
8 | (b) The Commission shall publish an annual plan, no later | ||||||
9 | than July 1st of each year, for the purchase and distribution | ||||||
10 | of educational technology. The annual plan shall be distributed | ||||||
11 | to the Governor and to the General Assembly and made available | ||||||
12 | to other persons on request. The annual plan shall include (i) | ||||||
13 | the number of students to be given computers, (ii) a list of | ||||||
14 | any and all software to be included on the computers, (iii) the | ||||||
15 | cost of implementing the plan, and (iv) proposed sources of | ||||||
16 | funding. | ||||||
17 | (c) Only public schools in Illinois in which 40% or more of | ||||||
18 | the students live in low-income households shall be eligible | ||||||
19 | for assistance under this Act. For the purposes of this | ||||||
20 | subsection, "low-income households" are those that include any | ||||||
21 | child eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the | ||||||
22 | National School Lunch Program or any household whose income is | ||||||
23 | no more than 185% of the poverty level. Students enrolled in | ||||||
24 | eligible schools shall be eligible to receive a laptop computer | ||||||
25 | regardless of personal or family income. | ||||||
26 | Section 20. Illinois Student Laptop Computer Fund. The | ||||||
27 | Illinois Student Laptop Computer Fund is created as a special | ||||||
28 | fund in the State treasury. All moneys deposited into the | ||||||
29 | Illinois Student Laptop Computer Fund shall be distributed, | ||||||
30 | subject to appropriation, to the Illinois Student Laptop | ||||||
31 | Commission for the purposes of this Act. Money from both public | ||||||
32 | and private sources may be deposited into the Fund, provided | ||||||
33 | that the contributions are given for the purposes of this Act. | ||||||
34 | Section 25. Rules. The Commission may adopt any rules |
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1 | necessary for the administration of this Act. | ||||||
2 | Section 30. Personnel; contracts. The Commission is | ||||||
3 | authorized to obtain the services of any personnel that may be | ||||||
4 | necessary and to enter into contracts and Memorandums of | ||||||
5 | Understanding with private parties and other State agencies in | ||||||
6 | order to carry out the functions of the Commission under this | ||||||
7 | Act. | ||||||
8 | Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
9 | Section 5.625 as follows: | ||||||
10 | (30 ILCS 105/5.625 new)
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11 | Sec. 5.625. The Illinois Student Laptop Computer Fund.
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12 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January | ||||||
13 | 1, 2005.
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