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Committee advances bill to fund internet retrofits on rural activity buses
Summary
The committee voted to favorably recommend HB 462, a grant program to retrofit rural school buses with filtered internet access for district‑issued devices during extended trips. Sponsor said grants would cover equipment and the first year of service; districts would absorb ongoing connectivity costs.
Representative Voxer presented HB 462, a voluntary grant program to retrofit school buses for internet connectivity so students in rural districts can use district‑issued laptops during long trips (defined as more than 60 minutes one way). The sponsor said the grants would pay for equipment and the first year's connectivity, and districts would be responsible for ongoing costs; filtering and device restrictions would prevent outside devices from connecting.
Committee members questioned per‑bus retrofit costs and sustainability. The sponsor cited a fiscal range in the draft ($4,500–$6,500 per bus depending on the fiscal note) and said rural schools told her the ongoing charges are minimal and that districts would be willing to assume them. Superintendents and UETN/technology directors supported the measure in public comment, noting past federal programs had provided similar services.
Representative Peck and others asked whether districts should bear the cost; the sponsor said rural needs differ and that many districts cannot fund retrofits without state assistance. The committee voted by voice to favorably recommend HB 462 to the floor.
