Connected Rural Schools Act

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 696 To amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to allow counties to use certain funds to provide or expand access to broadband telecommunications services and other technologies. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 10, 2021 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. MANCHIN, and Mr. BOOZ- MAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000 to allow counties to use cer- tain funds to provide or expand access to broadband telecommunications services and other technologies. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Connected Rural 4 Schools Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S696.IS S696 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 696 IS SEC. 2. ACCESS TO BROADBAND AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY. 1 Section 302(a) of the Secure Rural Schools and Com- 2 munity Self-Determination Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 3 7142(a)) is amended— 4 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 5 end; 6 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 7 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 8 (3) by adding at the end the following: 9 ‘‘(5) to provide or expand access to— 10 ‘‘(A) broadband telecommunications serv- 11 ices at local schools; or 12 ‘‘(B) the technology and connectivity nec- 13 essary for students to use a digital learning tool 14 at or outside of a local school campus.’’. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:47 Apr 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S696.IS S696 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS