(1) Under existing law, it is the policy of the State of California that all pupils enrolled in the state’s public elementary and secondary schools have equitable access to educational programs designed to strengthen technological skills, including, but not limited to, computer education programs.
This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by providing that every computer at a public elementary and secondary school purchased or initially installed on or after January 1, 2000, that may be used by a pupil and that has access to the Internet or an on-line service is required to have a blocking software program, as defined, that operates any time that the computer is used to access the Internet or an on-line service.
This bill would also impose a state-mandated local program by providing that no later than June 30, 2000, every computer at a public elementary and secondary school that was in operation prior to January 1, 2000, that may be used by a pupil and that has access to the Internet or an on-line service is required to have a blocking software program, as defined, that operates any time that the computer is used to access the Internet or an on-line service.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed $1,000,000.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.