South Carolina General Assembly
113th Session, 1999-2000

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Bill 1031


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Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

COMMITTEE REPORT

March 22, 2000

S. 1031

Introduced by Senators Leatherman, Ryberg, Fair, McConnell, Grooms, Mescher, Giese, Peeler, Courtney, Branton, Ravenel, Russell, Alexander, Thomas, Martin, Wilson, Waldrep, Courson and Gregory

S. Printed 3/22/00--S.

Read the first time January 13, 2000.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 1031), amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 10-1-205 so as to require computers in public libraries, public school libraries, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, page 1, beginning on line 30, in Section 10-1-205, as contained in SECTION 1, by striking lines 30 through 36 in their entirety and inserting therein the following:

/ 59-103-5;

(2) can access the Internet; and

(3) is available for use by the public or students, or both;

shall have its use policies determined by the library's or center's governing boards, as appropriate. The governing boards must adopt policies intended to reduce the ability of the user to access web sites displaying information or material in violation of Article 3 of Chapter 15 of Title 16." /

Amend the bill further, as and if amended, by adding an appropriately numbered SECTION to read:

/ SECTION 2. Section 15-78-60, as last amended by Act 77 of 1999, is further amended by adding a new item at the end:

"(35) the failure of a library's or media arts center's governing board to adopt policies as provided in Section 10-1-205." /

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

JAMES E. BRYAN, JR., for Committee.

STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT

ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT ON GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES:

See Below

ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT ON FEDERAL & OTHER FUND EXPENDITURES IS:

See Below

First Year Annually Funding

Non-recurring Thereafter Options

Public Schools (K-12) 350,000 50,000 State Funds

and/or Local

School Districts

Colleges & Universities 155,750 22,250 State Funds

and/or Tuition

& Fee Revenue

Public Libraries 45,500 6,500 State Funds

and/or Local

Governments

TOTAL $ 551,250 $ 78,750

EXPLANATION OF IMPACT:

The cost of web filtering software varies depending on the number of computers and the software brand. For purposes of this impact it is assumed software would be purchased for each library computer at an initial cost of $35. Annual renewal license fee is estimated at $5.

State Department of Education (SDE)

SDE indicates there are approximately 10,000 computers located in K-12 school libraries. Therefore, initial non-recurring costs for software purchase is estimated at $350,000. Annual license renewal is estimated at $50,000. The impact on the General Fund of the State is at the discretion of the General Assembly. This cost may be covered through State appropriations and/or local school districts funds.

Commission on Higher Education

Approximately 4,450 computers are located in the state's public college and university libraries. Passage of this legislation would result in non-recurring costs of $155,750 for software and license purchases and recurring costs of $22,250 in annual licensing and upgrades fees. The funding source for this initiative is at the General Assembly's discretion. The General Assembly could choose to appropriate funds to cover these costs or have the institutions use other funds for this purpose.

State Library

Public libraries in South Carolina receive approximately 85% of their funding from local governments. Any cost for the purchase of filters for public library Internet computers would, in nearly all cases, come from local funds.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT:

The State Library indicates there are approximately 1,300 Internet accessible computers located in the 40 county library systems. It is estimated that initial non-recurring costs for software purchase is $45,500. Annual license renewals are estimated at $6,500. The impact on the General Fund of the State is at the discretion of the General Assembly. This cost may be covered through State appropriations and/or local governments.

SPECIAL NOTES:

Web filtering software may be purchased for each individual computer or for numerous computers connected to a single server. Public schools, colleges and universities often employ numerous servers that are not connected to library computers alone. Purchasing software based on the number of affected servers may force the school, college or university to cover a larger number of computers than those located only in the library. High volume purchasing of such software may reduce the cost per unit, but may also force schools to purchasing software for a larger number of computers. Therefore, per computer initial and annual cost estimates were used in making the above estimates.

Approved By:

Don Addy

Office of State Budget

A BILL

AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-205 SO AS TO REQUIRE COMPUTERS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING LIBRARIES WHICH CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY THE PUBLIC OR STUDENTS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH SCREENING SOFTWARE TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF PORNOGRAPHIC SITES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 10-1-205. A computer which:

(1) is located in a lending library supported by public funds, public school library or media arts center, or in the library of a public institution of higher learning as defined in Section 59-103-5; and

(2) can access the internet; and

(3) is available for use by the public or students, or both;

must be equipped with software incorporating web filtering technology designed to eliminate or reduce the ability of the computer to access web sites displaying pornographic pictures or text."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2000.

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