(30 ILCS 780/5-3)
Sec. 5-3.
Statement of legislative findings and purposes.
The General
Assembly finds that the growth of high technology industry,
including computers, the Internet, and advanced telecommunications, has created
a division in society. Those who are able to master the tools of the new
digital technology and have access to the technology have benefited in the form
of improved employment possibilities and a higher standard of life. Those who
are unfamiliar with the new technologies, or do not have access to them, are
increasingly constrained to marginal employment and a standard of living near
the poverty level. This "digital divide" parallels existing economic, racial,
and gender divisions in society, with the more privileged members of society
having much greater opportunity to benefit from the new technologies than those
who are less favorably situated. It is the purpose of this Law to establish
educational and economic development initiatives that will bridge the digital
divide, making possible a society in which all individuals can benefit from the
opportunities provided by the new technologies.
(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 7-1-00.)
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