File #: Int 0192-2024    Version: * Name: Providing public school students with mobile hotspot devices.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Technology
On agenda: 2/28/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing public school students with mobile hotspot devices
Sponsors: Jennifer Gutiérrez, Lincoln Restler, Chi A. Ossé, Nantasha M. Williams, Shekar Krishnan, Julie Won, Julie Menin, Mercedes Narcisse, Tiffany Cabán, Shaun Abreu, Lynn C. Schulman, Shahana K. Hanif, Sandy Nurse, Crystal Hudson
Council Member Sponsors: 14
Summary: The proposed bill would require the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT), in consultation with the Department of Education (DOE), to purchase and distribute mobile hotspot devices to all New York City public school students. The COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of remote learning shined a light on the inequity of all students’ ability to connect to the internet at home to facilitate their remote learning. This bill would ensure all students can continue to receive the free public education they are entitled to under the law even when physical school buildings are closed for any part of the academic year.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 192, 2. Int. No. 192, 3. February 28, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 2-28-24, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - February 28, 2024

Int. No. 192

 

By Council Members Gutiérrez, Restler, Ossé, Williams, Krishnan, Won, Menin, Narcisse, Cabán, Abreu, Schulman, Hanif, Nurse and Hudson

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing public school students with mobile hotspot devices

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new title 34 to read as follows:

TITLE 34

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 34-101 Definitions. As used in this title, the following terms have the following meanings:

Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of information technology and telecommunications.

Department. The term “department” means the department of information technology and telecommunications.

Mobile hotspot device. The term “mobile hotspot device” means an ad hoc wireless access point that is created by a dedicated hardware device.

Student. The term “student” means any pupil under the age of 21 as of September 1 of the academic period being reported, who does not have a high school diploma and who is enrolled in a district school within the city district, not including pre-kindergarten students.

§ 34-102 Mobile hotspot devices. In consultation with the department of education and any other agency the commissioner deems necessary, the department shall provide every student with a mobile hotspot device. Such distribution shall be subject to terms and conditions as determined by the commissioner in consultation with the department of education.

CHAPTER 2

REPORTING

§ 34-201 Reporting on mobile hotspot devices. a. On or before December 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit to the mayor and speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a mobile hotspot device report reflecting information from September 1 of the year in which the report is issued, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. The number of mobile hotspot devices in the custody of the department and the date on which the count was conducted;

2. The number and total cost of new mobile hotspot devices purchased by the department since the date of the last report submitted pursuant to this section. The department shall also list the reasons for the purchase of new mobile hotspot devices;

3. The number of mobile hotspot devices no longer in the custody of the department since the date of the last report submitted pursuant to this subdivision and the reason for such loss of custody;

4. The number of mobile hotspot devices loaned to the department of education; and

5. The annual cost to the department to maintain an inventory of mobile hotspot devices. Such cost shall be further disaggregated by repair cost and general maintenance cost.

b. On August 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit to the mayor and speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a mobile hotspot device report which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. The number of mobile hotspot devices in the custody of the department and the date on which the count was conducted; and

2. The number of mobile hotspot devices returned by the department of education since the end of the academic year in the year which the report required pursuant to this subdivision is issued. If such number differs from the number in paragraph 4 of the report required pursuant to subdivision a of this section, a detailed explanation of why the numbers differ.

c. The reports required pursuant to this section shall be archived for three years on the department’s website and shall remain publicly available.

§ 2. This law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

 

Session 13

LS #8575

1/16/24

 

Session 12

MHL

LS #8575

04/15/22