2006 Kansas Code - 75-7224

      75-7224.   Same; network standards established; provider contracts authorized; needs assessment required; advisory committee authorized; rules and regulations. (a) The board shall establish a plan to ensure that all schools, libraries and hospitals have quality, affordable access to the internet and distance learning. The board shall adopt standards for determining whether such access is available to each school, library or hospital desiring such access and shall adopt priorities for implementation of such access. The board may request and receive assistance from any school, any library, any hospital, the state corporation commission, any other agency of the state or any telecommunications, cable or other communications services provider to gather necessary data to implement such plan and establish such standards and priorities. The board shall develop a methodology for updating and validating any data collected for periodic revisions of the plan, standards and priorities. Not less than 75% of all schools which have applied to the board to participate in the network, 75% of all libraries which have applied to the board to participate in the network and 75% of all hospitals which have applied to the board to participate in the network shall have access to the network by July 1, 2004.

      (b)   The board shall contract with providers of telecommunications services, cable services and other communications services for the creation, operation and maintenance of the network. Such contracts shall be let by competitive bids as provided by K.S.A. 75-3739, and amendments thereto.

      (c)   The board shall establish: (1) Technical standards for operation and maintenance of the network; (2) the method of monitoring operations of the network; and (3) the method or methods of increasing the capacity of the network to accommodate changes in the demands of schools, libraries and hospitals.

      (d)   The board shall identify any potential regulatory impediments to and other regulatory considerations in implementation of the network and shall propose measures to address such impediments and other considerations.

      (e)   The board shall assess the need of schools, libraries and hospitals for full-motion video connectivity. Based on its findings, the board may develop a plan to provide such connectivity. The plan may require users of such connectivity bear part of its cost.

      (f)   The board may appoint such advisory committees as the board determines necessary to carry out the purposes of this act. The membership of advisory committees may include both members of the board and persons who are not board members. Such advisory committees, to the extent appropriate, shall include both communications services providers and participants knowledgeable about topics such as network facilities and services, network content and user training, and such other topics as may be necessary or useful. Members of advisory committees appointed by the board shall receive amounts provided for in subsection (e) of K.S.A. 75-3223, and amendments thereto.

      (g)   On or before July 1, 2002, and thereafter as the board deems appropriate, the board shall adopt rules and regulations to implement and administer the provisions of this act.

      (h)   The board shall have all other powers necessary to achieve the purposes of this act, including but not limited to the power to receive any appropriations, donations, grants, bequests and devises, conditional and otherwise, of money, property, services or other things of value for the purposes of this act.

      (i)   The state department of education, the division of information systems and communications of the department of administration, the state corporation commission and all other state agencies shall cooperate with the board in providing information and other assistance requested by the board for the performance of its duties pursuant to this act.

      History:   L. 2001, ch. 136, § 4; Apr. 26.