HB123

ENROLLED, An Act,

To make a supplemental appropriation from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund to the Alabama Community College System in the amount of $5,866,947 and to the Department of Education in the amount of $15,546,351 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:

Section 1. In addition to all other appropriations heretofore or hereafter made, there is hereby appropriated $5,866,947 from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund to the Alabama Community College System for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. This appropriation shall be expended for equipment and/or deferred maintenance.

Section 2. In addition to all other appropriations heretofore or hereafter made, there is hereby appropriated $15,546,351 from the Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. This appropriation shall be expended to: (1) provide funds to complete the goal of providing wireless networks in all public schools or (2) provide E-Rate matching funds to local school systems that apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E-Rate program for funds to accomplish the goal of providing wireless networks in all public schools or (3) provide funds to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan for any local school system with wireless networks in place that meet required standards.

Section 3. (a) The Department of Education shall ensure that each local school system receive the designated funds under the following restrictions:

(1) Any system participating in this program that does not have wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, but are able to do so using their allotted funds, may use these funds for this purpose.

(2) Any system participating in this program that does not have wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, and which is unable to meet these standards using their allotted funds alone must apply for E-Rate funds if such funds are available and if they meet all other applicable conditions of the E-Rate program.

(3) Any system participating in this program that has wireless networks in place that meet the standards established herein, may use their allotted funds to implement their local school system's state-approved technology plan.

(b) The Department of Education shall utilize the standards established in the Wireless Infrastructure Renovation for Education (WIRED) Plan for determining which systems meet the goal of implementing high speed, standards-based Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) in all schools. Such WLANs are the first priority of this program. The funds provided for each system shall be based on a distribution formula based on enrollment and founded on the WIRED cost model.

Section 4. The Department of Education shall allocate the funds appropriated herein to the local school systems as follows:

Alabaster City $113,319 Albertville City 100,955 Alexander City 69,390 Andalusia City 36,984 Anniston City 45,023 Arab City 47,975 Athens City 72,017 Attalla City 38,340 Auburn City 144,481 Autauga County 198,790 Baldwin County 602,780 Barbour County 19,215 Bessemer City 88,358 Bibb County 75,398 Birmingham City 539,168 Blount County 173,205 Boaz City 49,118 Brewton City 23,373 Bullock County 33,795 Butler County 69,750 Calhoun County 201,356 Chambers County 77,918 Cherokee County 89,393 Chickasaw City 21,105 Chilton County 169,808 Choctaw County 35,010 Clarke County 64,733 Clay County 45,315 Cleburne County 59,670 Coffee County 44,910 Colbert County 58,568 Conecuh County 31,995 Coosa County 23,558 Covington County 70,830 Crenshaw County 49,973 Cullman City 59,278 Cullman County 211,254 Dale County 67,233 Daleville City 24,233 Dallas County 73,440 Decatur City 184,237 DeKalb County 198,788 Demopolis City 49,208 Dothan City 202,194 Elba City 14,625 Elmore County 239,147 Enterprise City 132,137 Escambia County 98,583 Etowah County 189,328 Eufaula City 60,930 Fairfield City 41,333 Fayette County 52,965 Florence City 93,911 Fort Payne City 69,345 Franklin County 71,933 Gadsden City 114,765 Geneva City 28,440 Geneva County 61,178 Greene County 27,338 Guntersville City 40,895 Hale County 60,615 Haleyville City 37,980 Hartselle City 54,175 Henry County 54,144 Homewood City 70,118 Hoover City 243,839 Houston County 135,800 Huntsville City 461,541 Jackson County 123,863 Jacksonville City 33,863 Jasper City 54,957 Jefferson County 757,296 Lamar County 52,515 Lanett City 20,790 Lauderdale County 168,350 Lawrence County 109,980 Lee County 213,324 Leeds City 41,333 Limestone County 182,688 Linden City 12,240 Lowndes County 35,438 Macon County 47,430 Madison City 163,528 Madison County 362,933 Marengo County 25,358 Marion County 75,480 Marshall County 122,840 Midfield City 25,988 Mobile County 1,307,430 Monroe County 80,798 Montgomery County 704,498 Morgan County 157,708 Mountain Brook City 53,532 Muscle Shoals City 50,833 Oneonta City 31,127 Opelika City 95,378 Opp City 28,868 Oxford City 89,976 Ozark City 50,040 Pelham City 59,721 Pell City 87,737 Perry County 35,573 Phenix City 148,098 Pickens County 57,795 Piedmont City 26,483 Pike County 48,825 Pike Road City 17,680 Randolph County 49,635 Roanoke City 33,165 Russell County 79,278 Russellville City 58,433 Saraland City 61,221 Satsuma City 25,233 Scottsboro City 54,804 Selma City 80,505 Sheffield City 24,098 Shelby County 362,490 St. Clair County 181,106 Sumter County 37,845 Sylacauga City 49,665 Talladega City 48,510 Talladega County 172,235 Tallapoosa County 64,350 Tallassee City 40,998 Tarrant City 26,573 Thomasville City 31,050 Troy City 45,653 Trussville City 68,672 Tuscaloosa City 206,784 Tuscaloosa County 370,808 Tuscumbia City 33,452 Vestavia Hills City 108,480 Walker County 172,013 Washington County 66,398 Wilcox County 38,835 Winfield City 25,920 Winston County 55,373

$15,546,351

Section 5. (a) The school systems participating in this program shall pursue obtaining additional funding from the FCC E-Rate program in order to help complete these wireless networks, wherever practicable. Therefore, distribution of and use of the allocated funds will be subject to the following provisions:

(1) For school systems that have met the standards established herein or that are in the process of installing the equipment necessary to fully meet these standards and which have approved 2015 Category 2 E-Rate applications which included in their funding request, in whole or in part, the establishment of these wireless networking in schools. If local funds were used as the match for these Category 2 E-Rate applications to accomplish this goal, then the funds allotted herein may be used, in whole or in part, to reimburse local school systems that moved forward with local funds. Any funds not applied to that purpose may be used to implement their local school system state-approved technology plan.

(2) For school systems that have not met the standards established herein and which have pending Category 2 E-Rate applications which will either advance or complete the wireless networks according to the standards established herein. If systems were not able to provide the local match for these E-Rate applications once approved, then the funds allotted herein may be used for the local match required by E-Rate to the extent that the amount of funds used for the match are in proportion to the cost of the wireless equipment contained in the E-Rate application. Any remaining funds may be used as matching funds for additional E-Rate applications to meet the standards described in the WIRED Plan.

(3) For school systems that do not fully meet the WIRED standards, but which are able to do so using their allotment without obtaining additional funding from the E-Rate program. Upon approval by the Department, these systems may use their allotment to complete their wireless networks without applying for E-Rate funding and may use remaining funds to implement their local school system state-approved technology plan.

(4) For school systems that do not fully meet the standards established herein which cannot complete the goal without additional funding, and which are eligible to apply for E-Rate funds to this purpose. These systems must submit an E-Rate application for Category 2 funding to assist in the establishment of the wireless networks and shall provide evidence of this application in the form of an E-Rate Form 471 application certification notice from the FCC to the Department of Education prior to expending funds from this program. The E-Rate 471 application must include WLAN equipment that meets or exceeds the standards established herein and which is also covered under the E-Rate Category 2 program. Program funds issued under these conditions shall be used for the E-Rate local match for the applicable E-Rate funding cycle. Any amount of program funding that exceeds the amount needed for the E-Rate match may be used to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan, provided that the wireless networks established with the E-Rate funds meet the standards established herein.

(5) For school systems that have met the standards established herein. Upon verification of submission of purchase orders or any other supporting documents to the State Department of Education, funds will be approved and released to the school systems. These funds shall be used to implement the local school system's state-approved technology plan.

(6) In all cases where program funds will be required to be used as an E-Rate local match these funds must be held available by the local school system until the E-Rate application is approved and the purchasing has begun.

Section 6. The Alabama Ahead Oversight Committee shall approve the implementation of Sections 2 through 5.

Section 7. All funds not expended in the current fiscal year shall not revert but shall be carried forward for the purpose appropriated.

Section 8. This act shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval by the Governor, or upon its otherwise becoming law.

Appropriations

Education Trust Fund

Legislature

Education Trust Fund Advancement and Technology Fund

Education Department