Technology in the Parks Act of 2024

Bill: 118-hr-8494
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Introduced: 2024-05-22
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Latest action: action_date: 2024-05-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Summaries:
action_date: 2024-05-22
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Technology in the Parks Act of 2024</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Department of Labor to award grants to nonprofit organizations to carry out technology training programs in local parks. Training programs must&nbsp;serve individuals who are receiving unemployment or other specified public assistance benefits, and must result in the award of a postsecondary degree or credential.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill also makes local parks that have contracted with nonprofits to provide technology training under the grant program eligible for discounted telecommunications service under the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-Rate) program.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8494 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2024 Mr. Davis of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce , and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce , and Science, Space, and Technology , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To provide that certain local parks are eligible for E-Rate support, to provide that local parks are eligible for the loan, lease, or transfer of certain excess research equipment, and to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a program to make grants for conducting technology training programs in local parks, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Technology in the Parks Act of 2024 . 2. E-Rate support for covered local parks Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 254 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)(6)— (A) in the heading, by striking and libraries and inserting libraries, and covered local parks ; and (B) by striking and libraries and inserting libraries, and covered local parks ; (2) in subsection (c)(3), by striking and health care providers and inserting health care providers, and covered local parks ; (3) in subsection (h)— (A) in paragraph (1)(B)— (i) in the heading, by striking and libraries and inserting , libraries, and covered local parks ; and (ii) by striking and libraries and inserting libraries, and covered local parks ; (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) by inserting or a covered local park after telecommunications user ; (ii) by inserting or park after such user ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a covered local park may transfer telecommunications services and network capacity to an entity with which such park has a contract as described in subsection (m) to enable such entity to conduct a qualified technology training program as described in such subsection. ; (C) in paragraph (4), by striking paragraph (7)(A) and inserting paragraph (8)(A) ; (D) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and (E) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: (7) Internet safety requirements for covered local parks Not later than 14 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Commission shall promulgate regulations that provide for internet safety requirements for covered local parks receiving services at discount rates under paragraph (1)(B) that are substantially similar to the requirements under paragraphs (5) and (6) and subsection (l) for schools and libraries receiving services at discount rates under paragraph (1)(B). ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (m) Covered local park defined In this section, the term covered local park means a local park, as defined in subsection (h) of section 4 of the Technology in the Parks Act of 2024 , that has a contract with an entity to allow such entity to conduct in such park a qualified technology training program using a grant received by such entity under such section. . 3. Loan, lease, or transfer of certain excess research equipment Subsection (i) of section 11 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 ( 15 U.S.C. 3710 ) is amended— (1) by striking The Director and inserting the following: (1) In general The Director ; (2) in paragraph (1), as so inserted, by striking or nonprofit organization and inserting , nonprofit organization, or local park ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) Definition In this subsection, the term local park means a park owned and maintained by a local government. . 4. Grants for technology in the park (a) In general Beginning not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this section as the Secretary ) shall carry out a program under which the Secretary makes grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of conducting a qualified technology training program in local parks. (b) Applications To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Uses of funds An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant to conduct a qualified technology training program in a local park, which may include the use of grant funds to— (1) pay labor costs involved in conducting the qualified technology training program described in subsection (d); (2) purchase or otherwise obtain necessary equipment for the qualified technology training program described in subsection (d); (3) create or modify infrastructure to facilitate the qualified technology training program described in subsection (d); or (4) carry out other activities directly related to the activities needed to conduct the qualified technology training program described in subsection (d). (d) Qualified technology training program described A qualified technology training program described in this subsection is a program— (1) the completion of which results in the award of a recognized postsecondary credential (as defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3102 )); (2) that occurs, to the extent practicable— (A) after school; (B) as a summer program; or (C) as a continuing education program; and (3) that is designed to train or provide instruction to covered individuals in— (A) coding; (B) cyber security; (C) network security; (D) digital manufacturing; (E) technology assistance; (F) software development; (G) database administration; (H) web development; (I) video production; (J) robotics; (K) artificial intelligence; (L) video game design; (M) reading; (N) math; or (O) a combination of the subjects described in subparagraphs (A) through (N). (e) Grant duration and amount (1) Duration Each grant under this section shall be made for a period of 2 years. (2) Amount The Secretary shall determine the maximum amount of each grant under this section. (f) Federal share The Federal share of a grant under this section shall not exceed 10 percent of the costs of carrying out the activities described in subsection (c). (g) Supplement, not supplant An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section only to supplement funds that would, in the absence of such grant, be made available from other Federal, State, or local sources for activities supported by the grant, not to supplant such funds. (h) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered individual The term covered individual means an individual who is— (A) receiving— (i) unemployment compensation under any State or Federal law; (ii) assistance under a State program for temporary assistance to needy families funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 601 et seq. ); (iii) services under a State program funded by the Social Services Block Grant program under subtitle A of title XX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397 et seq. ); or (iv) maternal and child health services under a State program funded by title V of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 701 et seq. ); or (B) entitled to monthly insurance benefits under section 202 or 223 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 401 et seq. ). (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a non-profit organization. (3) Local park The term local park means a park owned and maintained by a local government— (A) that has a physical structure suitable for conducting a qualified technology training program described in subsection (d); or (B) at which such a physical structure may be constructed.