_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACt temporarily redirecting and statutorily APPROPRIATING technology funding to e-rate broadband matching funds; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTION 20-9-534, MCA; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AN APPLICABILITY DATE, and A TERMINATION DATE.”

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

.

Section 1. Section 20-9-534, MCA, is amended to read:

"20-9-534. Statutory appropriation for school technology purposes. (1) The amount of $1 million a year is statutorily appropriated, as provided in 17-7-502, from the school facility and technology account established in 20-9-516 for grants for school technology purposes to the office of public instruction for providing funds for schools to use as state matching funds for special construction under the federal e-rate broadband program pursuant to 47 CFR 54.505, provided that none of the state matching funds may be used by schools for self-construction of their own or portions of their own networks.

(2) By the third Friday in July, the superintendent of public instruction shall allocate the annual statutory appropriation for school technology purposes to each district based on the ratio that each district's BASE budget bears to the statewide BASE budget amount for all school districts multiplied by the amount of money provided in20-9-343for the purposes of 20-9-533."

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Applicability. [This act] applies to school fiscal years beginning on our after July 1, 2021.

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Termination. [This act] terminates June 30, 2023.