1-1 By: Bivins S.C.R. No. 95 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed May 15, 1997; May 17, 1997, read first 1-3 time and referred to Committee on Education; May 18, 1997, reported 1-4 favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, 1-5 sent to printer.) 1-6 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, The 74th Legislature has created the 1-8 Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) to create a world 1-9 class education technology infrastructure for Texas schools; and 1-10 WHEREAS, This fund will make grants of $1.5 billion over the 1-11 next decade for the acquisition and use of information technology 1-12 in the Texas education system; and 1-13 WHEREAS, These resources place Texas in a position to become 1-14 the national leader in education technology infrastructure; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Texas will become the national leader only if it can 1-16 develop a unified plan for bringing information technology and 1-17 services to education in a way that integrates and coordinates the 1-18 differing needs of its schools, bridges the gaps between state 1-19 agencies having responsibilities over education technology, and 1-20 coordinates the leveraging of private and federal resources; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Texas must create the Texas Education 1-22 Telecommunications Coordinating Committee to ensure our state 1-23 agencies are working together to wisely invest funds on education 1-24 technology; now, therefore, be it 1-25 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-26 authorize the creation of the Texas Education Telecommunications 1-27 Coordinating Committee; and, be it further 1-28 RESOLVED, That this advisory committee be charged with the 1-29 responsibility of developing goals for the advancement, 1-30 acquisition, and use of telecommunications technology in the state 1-31 education system, coordinating education technology efforts among 1-32 state agencies, encouraging maximum use of TIF by rewarding 1-33 collaborative efforts through the grant process, and making, by 1-34 September 1, 1998, any legislative recommendations for the regular 1-35 session of the 76th Legislature; and, be it further 1-36 RESOLVED, That the committee membership be composed of one 1-37 representative from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund 1-38 Board, one representative from the State Board of Education, one 1-39 representative from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 1-40 one representative from the General Services Commission, one 1-41 representative from the Department of Information Resources, one 1-42 member to be appointed by the governor, one member to be appointed 1-43 by the lieutenant governor, and one member to be appointed by the 1-44 speaker of the house of representatives, and that the gubernatorial 1-45 appointee chair the committee. 1-46 * * * * *