Authority: Title 2.1, Chapter 35.2, Article 7, Code of Virginia.

A.1. Out of the amount for Other Services $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second from the general fund is designated to award grants to initiate and study special technology projects and needs of state agencies and institutions of higher education.

2. Out of the amounts for Other Services is $200,000 the first year for the department to contract for expertise and content development to expand the “Commonwealth of Knowledge" Web site.

B.1. All state and nonstate agencies receiving an appropriations in Items 42 through 550, of this act, shall comply with the guidelines and related procedures issued by the Department of Technology Planning for effective management of geographic information systems in the Commonwealth.

2. The Department of Technology Planning shall develop a multi-year business plan and operating budget for full implementation of the Geographic Information Network. The business plan shall be submitted to the Governor by September 1, 2000. The plan shall address strategies for recovering the cost of developing geographic information systems maps and operations.

3. All state and nonstate agencies identified in paragraph 1 that have a geographic information system, shall assist the department by providing any requested information on the systems including current and planned expenditures and activities, and acquired resources.

4. The State Corporation Commission, Virginia Employment Commission, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and other nongeneral fund agencies are encouraged to use their own fund sources for the acquisition of hardware and development of data for the spatial data library in the Virginia Geographic Information Network.

C. Out of the amounts for Geographic Information Access Services is $500,000 in the second year to begin a pilot program involving geographic information base map. The general fund amounts provided in this Item shall be made available, through grants, contracts or such other agreements as may seem appropriate. However, the funds made available in such manner shall be matched, in cash, from nonstate sources, in a ratio of not more than one-third state funds provided in this Item and two-thirds nonstate sources. It is the intent of the General Assembly that this program become self-supporting from nongeneral fund sources after the second year.

D.1. The Secretary of Technology, through the Department of Technology Planning, will coordinate and manage the Commonwealth's activities designed to address the growing disparity between citizens of the Commonwealth who have access to the Internet and other technology-based tools and those who do not, commonly known as the "digital divide."

2. The Secretary shall establish, and designate a chair for, a task force consisting of representatives from business, local government, and state agencies determined by the Secretary to be directly involved in activities supporting resolution of the issue. The task force shall develop a plan for the implementation of programs, coordinate resources, accomplish other related assignments made by the Secretary, and make recommendations to the Secretary on any other actions or activities necessary to address the issue.

E.1. Out of the amounts in Special Project Management, $300,000 from the general fund the second year is included for a competitive grant program to address universal access at the community level. The department shall develop the program with assistance from the task force as needed.

2. These funds shall remain unallotted until the program is approved by the Secretaries of Finance and Technology. Any unexpended balances on June 30, 2001, shall be reappropriated for expenditure in the succeeding year.

F.1. The Department of Technology Planning shall establish the Technology Access Fund to supplement the amounts appropriated in Special Project Management. The Fund shall be a nongeneral, nonreverting fund with any balances reappropriated for expenditures in the succeeding fiscal year.

2. The purpose of the Fund shall be to increase citizen access to the Internet and technology based tools by attracting gifts, grants and donations from the private sector and the federal government.

3. No later than June 30 of each year, the Department of Technology Planning shall submit a report to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on the operation of the Fund.

G. The Department of Technology Planning shall work with the task force to expedite the receipt of the Universal Service Fund for Schools and Libraries from the U.S. Department of Commerce.