The K-12 Technology and Cybersecurity Leadership Act, as outlined in the bill, makes several changes to the public K-12 education system's approach to technology leadership and grant fund usage. The bill renames the position of technology coordinator to technology director, who must be an employee of the local board of education on a full-time basis and cannot be a contractor or the local superintendent. New qualifications for technology directors hired after October 1, 2024, are introduced, including a degree in a technology-related field or relevant work experience, with a waiver process for school systems that cannot meet these qualifications. The bill also modifies the K-12 Capital Grant Program Fund, specifying that unused grant funds must be returned to the state under certain conditions, and allows for the use of grant funds to pay off debt. It sets a maximum state grant amount of $5 million and includes a sliding scale for local matching funds based on the financial capacity of the school system.

HB439 Enrolled includes an insertion that permits K-12 entities to amend their grant proposal once within 12 months to ensure full utilization of funds for an eligible purpose, with a requirement to return unspent funds if an amendment is not filed. It also mandates reporting on the use of funds within a year and compliance examinations by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. Additionally, the bill repeals Act 2023-560, which established the Distressed Institutions of Higher Education Revolving Loan Program, and directs any remaining funds to the Education Trust Fund as nonrecurring revenue for supplemental appropriation. The effective dates for the bill are July 1, 2024, for Section 1, and immediate for Sections 2 and 3, with the bill having been amended and passed in the Senate and concurred by the House.

Statutes affected:
Enrolled: 29-4-51, 16-65A-1, 16-65A-7, 29-4-51