The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to HB 1206:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 19 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to instructional materials and content relative to elementary and secondary education,
so as to require local boards of education and other public school governing bodies to
consider the total cost of ownership and related factors when purchasing school technology
devices; to provide for reports; to provide definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 19 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
instructional materials and content relative to elementary and secondary education, is
amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"20-2-1018.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Break/fix rate' means the number of school technology devices reported as
malfunctioning or needing repair prior to the end of the device's life cycle as stated by the
manufacturer due to physical damage, hardware failure, or other breakage incidents
</ins>
<ins>which are not covered by insurance or a policy plan period during a school year divided
by the total number of school technology devices in operation during the same school
year.
(2) 'Department' means the Department of Education.
(3) 'School technology device' or 'device' means electronic or computerized equipment
greater than $100.00 in value provided for educational purposes in a public school,
including, but not limited to, computers, tablets, and interactive whiteboards, and
associated hardware, software, and technical equipment.
(b) When purchasing school technology devices, each local board of education and other
public school governing body shall take into consideration the following factors:
(1) The long-term cost of ownership of such devices, including the costs of repairs;
(2) The flexibility for innovation during the life of such devices; and
(3) The anticipated resale or salvage value of such devices compared to the initial
purchase cost of such devices.
(c) Beginning in 2027, no later than October 15 of each year, each local board of education
and other public school governing body shall submit a report to the department which
includes the following information for the respective local school system or public school
for the preceding school year:
(1) The total number of school technology devices in operation;
(2) The break/fix rate of school technology devices;
(3) The total number of school technology devices which required repair and the number
of such devices that underwent repair or were out of service; and
(4) The total amount spent to repair or replace school technology devices.
(d) Beginning in 2027, no later than December 31 each year, the department shall submit
a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education and the Senate
</ins>
<ins>Education and Youth Committee which shall include the information provided to the
department pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.