                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PROMOTION OF BROADBAND SERVICES FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES (§ 22.1-79.9)

A. As used in this section:
			&#8220;Affordability program&#8221; means a program or package of broadband
services which may include educational programming or access to educational
content, offered by a private broadband service provider to school-age children
and their families at a lower price, or with specialized services, compared to
the broadband services offered by the private broadband service provider to the
general public.
			&#8220;Child nutrition program&#8221; means any school meal program funded
and regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including the National
School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program
Afterschool Snack Service, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food
Service Program, and Special Milk Program.
			&#8220;Sponsored program&#8221; means a financial program to provide
lower-cost or free broadband services, or a specialized offering of broadband
services, for educational purposes to the home of a student when the student
would qualify for (i) a child nutrition program or (ii) any other program
recognized or adopted by the local school board as a measuring standard to
identify at-risk students.

B. Any school board may:

   1. Promote and publicize the availability of private broadband services for
   educational purposes to parents and students, including the availability of
   any affordability programs or sponsored programs;

   2. Provide promotional or informational materials for private broadband
   services to parents, students, and potential sponsors including brochures,
   flyers, and cable, internet, broadband, or other public service announcements,
   in any media, regarding locally available private broadband service offerings,
   including the availability of any affordability programs or sponsored
   programs, to encourage student use of broadband services for educational
   purposes;

   3. Accept compensation, or in-kind donations of materials and services, from
   any private broadband service provider to reimburse the school board or other
   public body for its actual costs incurred in providing the materials described
   in subdivision 2;

   4. Enter into agreements with local businesses, charitable groups, or private
   broadband service providers to promote sponsored programs to provide reduced
   cost or free broadband services for educational purposes to households of
   qualifying students. Under such agreements, the school board may award grants
   or subsidies to private broadband service providers to reduce or eliminate the
   cost of sponsored program broadband services provided to qualifying student
   households; and

   5. Utilize any federal, state, or local funds that are not otherwise
   restricted to pay grants or subsidies to support sponsored programs, including
   any federal funds that may be available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
   and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. 116-36, the Coronavirus Response and
   Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, or similar legislation.

HISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 496.