Kansas Statutes § 75-7224 Same; program standards established; needs assessment and report required; development of broadband plan; advisory committee authorized; rules and regulations.

75-7224. Same; program standards established; needs assessment and report required; development of broadband plan; advisory committee authorized; rules and regulations. (a) The board shall: (1) Provide a program to facilitate the use of broadband technology-based video communication for distance learning and telemedicine by schools, libraries and hospitals; (2) transition schools, libraries and hospitals that have a direct KAN-ED connection as of January 1, 2012, to a commercially provided broadband internet connection no later than June 30, 2013. At the time a school, library or hospital has been transitioned off a KAN-ED connection, the board shall pay up to $350 per month to such school, library or hospital for the cost of broadband service until June 30, 2013; (3) provide the secretary of commerce any information necessary to conduct the needs assessment described in subsection (b); (4) assist schools, libraries and hospitals to apply for federal grants to be used for purposes consistent with this act; and (5) collect data regarding: (A) Distance learning and telemedicine usage; and (B) the volume of data accessed. The board shall develop a methodology for updating and validating any data collected for periodic revisions of the program, standards and priorities. (b) (1) The secretary of commerce shall facilitate the execution of the needs assessment and the creation of the report. The secretary shall contract with a third party that has expertise in telecommunications services for educational institutions to conduct such needs assessment and create such report. (2) The needs assessment shall include, for each school, library and hospital connected to the network as of January 1, 2012: Current and future broadband service and quality needs and a determination of all KAN-ED expenses for shared services or infrastructure, including any costs deferred by federal moneys, that are providing services and network connections. Based on the results of the needs assessment, the secretary of commerce, in coordination with the third party contractor, shall create a report that: (A) Compares the utilization, efficiency and effectiveness of KAN-ED to other similar programs in other states for schools, libraries and hospitals; (B) determines if the KAN-ED program, as of the effective date of this act, is worth its cost in terms of price, service, quality, needed network upgrades and increased utilization of broadband by schools, libraries and hospitals; (C) determines if there are alternative models or opportunities for broadband procurement by schools, libraries and hospitals; (D) determines if the services and applications offered by KAN-ED lead to full utilization of broadband technology by schools, libraries, hospitals and their surrounding communities; and (E) recommends any cost-effective broadband services that are available. (3) The board shall reimburse the cost of conducting such needs assessment and report described in paragraph (2), not to exceed $250,000. (4) The results of such needs assessment and the report shall be submitted to the board on or before January 1, 2013. (c) 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 program. (d) The board shall establish: (1) Technical standards for operation and maintenance of the program; (2) the method of monitoring operations of the program; and (3) the method or methods of adjusting the program to reflect the needs of schools, libraries and hospitals as determined by the needs assessment or ongoing data collection for each such entity. Such standards and methods shall be included in the board's report to the legislature pursuant to K.S.A. 75-7226, and amendments thereto. (e) Based on the findings of the needs assessments or collected data, the board shall develop a plan to: (1) Facilitate the use of broadband technology-based video communication for distance learning and telemedicine by schools, libraries and hospitals; and (2) transition schools, libraries and hospitals that have a direct KAN-ED connection as of January 1, 2012, to a commercially provided broadband internet connection no later than June 30, 2013. The plan may require users of the program to bear part of its cost. Such plan shall be included in the board's report to the legislature pursuant to K.S.A. 75-7226, and amendments thereto. (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, distance learning and telemedicine, 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) The board shall have all other powers necessary to achieve the purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, the power to: (1) Fix, charge and collect user fees for services provided by the KAN-ED program in accordance with the plan developed pursuant to subsection (e); and (2) receive any appropriations, fees, donations, grants, bequests and devises, conditional and otherwise, of money, property, services or other things of value for the purposes of this act. (h) The state department of education, the office of information technology services 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 at no cost to such agencies. History: L. 2001, ch. 136, § 4; L. 2012, ch. 173, § 6; L. 2013, ch. 110, § 13; July 1.