30 ILCS 780/ Eliminate the Digital Divide Law.

(30 ILCS 780/Art. 1 heading) ARTICLE 1. SHORT TITLE (Uncodified provisions; text omitted)

(30 ILCS 780/Art. 5 heading) ARTICLE 5. ELIMINATE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE LAW

(30 ILCS 780/5-1)

Sec. 5-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the Eliminate the Digital Divide Law.

(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 7-1-00.)

(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.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-5)

Sec. 5-5. Definitions; descriptions. As used in this Article:

"Community-based organization" means a private not-for-profit organization that is located in an Illinois community and that provides services to citizens within that community and the surrounding area.

"Senior citizen home" means an Illinois-based residential facility for people who are over the age of 65. The term "senior citizen home" includes, but is not limited to, convalescent homes, long-term care facilities, assistive living facilities, and nursing homes.

"Community technology centers" provide computer access and educational services using information technology. Community technology centers are diverse in the populations they serve and programs they offer, but similar in that they provide technology access to individuals, communities, and populations that typically would not otherwise have places to use computer and telecommunications technologies.

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"National school lunch program" means a program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state agencies that provides free or reduced price lunches to economically disadvantaged children. A child whose family income is between 130% and 185% of applicable family size income levels contained in the nonfarm poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget is eligible for a reduced price lunch. A child whose family income is 130% or less of applicable family size income levels contained in the nonfarm income poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget is eligible for a free lunch.

"Telecommunications services" provided by telecommunications carriers include all commercially available telecommunications services in addition to all reasonable charges that are incurred by taking such services, such as state and federal taxes.

"Other special services" provided by telecommunications carriers include Internet access and installation and maintenance of internal connections in addition to all reasonable charges that are incurred by taking such services, such as state and federal taxes.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06; 95-740, eff. 1-1-09.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-20)

Sec. 5-20. Digital Divide Elimination Fund. The Digital Divide Elimination Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. All moneys in the Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, by the Department for grants made under Section 5-30 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-30)

Sec. 5-30. Community Technology Center Grant Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall administer the Community Technology Center Grant Program under which the Department shall make grants in accordance with this Article for planning, establishment, administration, and expansion of Community Technology Centers and for assisting public hospitals, libraries, and park districts in eliminating the digital divide. The purposes of the grants shall include, but not be limited to, volunteer recruitment and management, training and instruction, infrastructure, and related goods and services, including case management, administration, personal information management, and outcome-tracking tools and software for the purposes of reporting to the Department and for enabling participation in digital government and consumer services programs, for Community Technology Centers and public hospitals, libraries, and park districts. No Community Technology Center may receive a grant of more than $75,000 under this Section in a particular fiscal year.

(b) Public hospitals, libraries, park districts, and State educational agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, senior citizen homes, and other public and private nonprofit or for-profit agencies and organizations are eligible to receive grants under this Program, provided that a local educational agency or public or private educational agency or organization must, in order to be eligible to receive grants under this Program, provide computer access and educational services using information technology to the public at one or more of its educational buildings or facilities at least 12 hours each week. A group of eligible entities is also eligible to receive a grant if the group follows the procedures for group applications in 34 CFR 75.127-129 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations.

To be eligible to apply for a grant, a Community Technology Center must serve a community in which not less than 40% of the students are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program or in which not less than 30% of the students are eligible for a free lunch under the national school lunch program; however, if funding is insufficient to approve all grant applications for a particular fiscal year, the Department may impose a higher minimum percentage threshold for that fiscal year. Determinations of communities and determinations of the percentage of students in a community who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program shall be in accordance with rules adopted by the Department.

Any entities that have received a Community Technology Center grant under the federal Community Technology Centers Program are also eligible to apply for grants under this Program.

The Department shall provide assistance to Community Technology Centers in making those determinations for purposes of applying for grants.

The Department shall encourage Community Technology Centers to participate in public and private computer hardware equipment recycling initiatives that provide computers at reduced or no cost to low-income families, including programs authorized by the State Property Control Act. On an annual basis, the Department must provide the Director of Central Management Services with a list of Community Technology Centers that have applied to the Department for funding as potential recipients of surplus State-owned computer hardware equipment under programs authorized by the State Property Control Act.

(c) Grant applications shall be submitted to the Department on a schedule of one or more deadlines established by the Department by rule.

(d) The Department shall adopt rules setting forth the required form and contents of grant applications.

(e) (Blank).

(f) (Blank).

(g) Duties of the Digital Divide Elimination Working Group include all of the following:

(1) Undertaking a thorough review of grant programs available through the federal government, local agencies, telecommunications providers, and business and charitable entities for the purpose of identifying appropriate sources of revenues for the Digital Divide Elimination Fund and attempting to update available grants on a regular basis.

(2) Researching and cataloging programs designed to advance digital literacy and computer access that are available through the federal government, local agencies, telecommunications providers, and business and charitable entities and attempting to update available programs on a regular basis.

(3) Presenting the information compiled from items (1) and (2) to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which shall serve as a single point of contact for applying for funding for the Digital Divide Elimination Fund and for distributing information to the public regarding all programs designed to advance digital literacy and computer access.

(Source: P.A. 102-1071, eff. 6-10-22.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-35)

Sec. 5-35. Resale; Community Technology Centers.

(a) Products and services purchased by Community Technology Centers with grant funds may not be sold, resold, or transferred in consideration of money or any other thing of value except with the prior approval of the Department.

(b) This prohibition on resale shall not bar Community Technology Centers from charging fees for education or workforce preparation courses. There is no prohibition on the resale of products or services that are not purchased with grant funds.

(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 7-1-00.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-40)

Sec. 5-40. Auditing; records; Community Technology Centers.

(a) Community Technology Centers shall be required to maintain for expenditures made under this Article any procurement records required by the Department. Community Technology Centers shall produce those records at the request of the Department, any auditor appointed by the State, or any State officer or agency entitled to inspect the records.

(b) Community Technology Centers shall be subject to random compliance audits to evaluate what products and services they are purchasing and how the products and services are being used.

(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 7-1-00.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-45)

Sec. 5-45. Statewide Community Technology Center Network.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall expend not more than $100,000 in fiscal year 2001 to establish and administer a Statewide Community Technology Center Network to assist in local and regional planning under this Article.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the Department may expend not more than $100,000 in fiscal year 2006 and each fiscal year thereafter to establish and administer a Statewide Community Technology Center Network to assist in local and regional planning and revenue development and outreach under this Article.

(Source: P.A. 94-734, eff. 4-28-06.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-50)

Sec. 5-50. Computer Investment Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department may administer the Computer Investment Program under which the Department may assist low-income families in 5 digital divide impacted communities in the State, as determined by the Department, in reimbursing a portion of the cost for a recently purchased new or used home computer.

(b) The grant awarded by the Department shall not exceed $225 per applicant.

(c) The applicant must show proof of purchase for the computer in the form of a store receipt.

(d) The Department shall prepare a store verification form that must be filled out at the time of purchase by a store manager or assistant manager. This form must be submitted to the Department as part of the grant application.

(e) To be eligible to apply for a grant under this Act, an applicant must have a child that:

(1) is enrolled in a public school in which not less than 40% of the students are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program, or in which not less than 30% of the students are eligible for a free lunch under the national school lunch program in this State;

(2) receives free or reduced school lunch under the national school lunch program;

(3) has a passing grade point average;

(4) has a good attendance record;

(5) has resided in this State for a minimum of 6 months; and

(6) completes a basic computer course at one of the community technology centers designated by the Department.

(f) The Department shall adopt rules to implement and administer the Program.

(Source: P.A. 94-262, eff. 1-1-06.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-55)

Sec. 5-55. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 94-262, eff. 1-1-06. Repealed by P.A. 101-275, eff. 8-9-19.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-105)

Sec. 5-105. Rules. The Department may adopt any rules that are necessary and appropriate to carry out this Article.

(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 7-1-00.)

(30 ILCS 780/Art. 10 heading) ARTICLE 10. AMENDATORY PROVISIONS (Amendatory provisions; text omitted)

(30 ILCS 780/Art. 99 heading) ARTICLE 99. EFFECTIVE DATE

(30 ILCS 780/99-1)

Sec. 99-1. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2000, except that this Section and the changes to Section 8g of the State Finance Act take effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 91-704, eff. 5-17-00.)