1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; providing technology support 
  1.3             aid for school districts; appropriating money for 
  1.4             internet access; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [124.2454] [TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AID.] 
  1.8      A district's technology support aid for a fiscal year 
  1.9   equals $15 times its actual pupil units for the school year.  
  1.10  Technology support aid is to partially cover the costs of 
  1.11  support services for technology investments by school districts 
  1.12  under sections 124.244 and 124.2445.  The aid may be used for: 
  1.13     (1) salaries paid to technical support personnel; 
  1.14     (2) contracted services for technical support; 
  1.15     (3) costs associated with training district personnel in 
  1.16  the use of technology and software; and 
  1.17     (4) purchase of software or software support. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  1.19     Subdivision 1.  [DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.] The sums 
  1.20  indicated in this section are appropriated from the general fund 
  1.21  to the department of education for the fiscal years designated. 
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AIDS.] For technology support 
  1.23  aid: 
  1.24       $12,425,000    .....     1996 
  1.25       $12,626,000    .....     1997 
  2.1      Subd. 3.  [INTERNET ACCESS.] For the costs of subsidizing 
  2.2   internet access for school districts: 
  2.3        $..........    .....     1996 
  2.4        $..........    .....     1997 
  2.5      The commissioner shall identify methods to reduce the costs 
  2.6   of internet access for school districts.  The commissioner shall 
  2.7   work in conjunction with MRNet, the department of 
  2.8   administration, and the telecommunication industry to provide 
  2.9   internet access and long distance phone service at a favorable 
  2.10  group rate.