BILL NUMBER: SCR 8 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Padilla
JANUARY 13, 2009
Relative to information and communication technologies digital
literacy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 8, as introduced, Padilla. Information and communication
technologies digital literacy.
This measure would request that the Governor create the California
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Digital Literacy
Leadership Council to provide leadership regarding ICT digital
literacy, defined as using digital technology, communications tools,
or networks, or any combination thereof, to access, manage,
integrate, evaluate, create, and communicate information in order to
function in a knowledge-based economy and society.
Fiscal committee: no.
WHEREAS, Information and communication technologies (ICT) digital
literacy is a defining component of California's competitiveness in a
knowledge-based economy, and is becoming more important to
attracting capital investment that will generate higher quality jobs;
and
WHEREAS, ICT digital literacy skills are critical to the ability
of California to compete successfully in a global information and
knowledge economy; and
WHEREAS, ICT digital literacy is defined as using digital
technology, communications tools, networks, or any combination
thereof, to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and
communicate information in order to function in a knowledge-based
economy and society; and
WHEREAS, There is widespread recognition documented in numerous
national and international reports by entities and conferences, such
as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), that ICT
digital literacy is increasingly critical for increasing
productivity, improving quality of life, and enhancing global
competitiveness; and
WHEREAS, Even though the first annual Californians and Information
Technology survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, in
partnership with the California Emerging Technology Fund and
ZeroDivide, found that "[n]early seven in 10 Californians and strong
majorities across demographic groups say it is very important for
Californians to have Internet access," there is a persistent digital
divide in California as evidenced by the following survey findings:
(a) Less than one-half of Latinos (48 percent) have home
computers, while 86 percent of Whites, 84 percent of Asians, and 79
percent of Blacks have them;
(b) Only 40 percent of Latinos have Internet access and 34 percent
have broadband connections at home, while the majorities of other
racial and ethnic groups have both Internet access and broadband
connections at home;
(c) Only 32 percent of Californians are very confident about their
abilities to keep viruses, spyware, and adware off their home
computers;
(d) Fifty-six percent of parents indicate that they visit the
Internet Web sites of their children's schools; however, only 30
percent of those with household incomes under $40,000 visit the
schools' Internet Web sites, while 84 percent of those with incomes
of $80,000 or more visit them;
(e) A majority of Californians express concern that residents in
lower income areas and rural areas have less access to broadband
Internet technology than others (62 percent and 51 percent,
respectively);
(f) Disparity exists among ethnic and racial groups, income
levels, and regions when comparing rates of computer ownership,
Internet access, and broadband connections at home; for example:
(1) Since 2000, computer use among Whites has grown from 79
percent to 85 percent and among Blacks has increased from 76 percent
to 83 percent, as has Internet use (from 70 percent to 81 percent for
Whites and from 60 percent to 82 percent for Blacks);
(2) Among Latinos, computer use has declined since 2000 from 64
percent to 58 percent and Internet use is almost unchanged (47
percent compared to 48 percent). Asians also have seen declines
during the same period in both their use of computers (from 91
percent to 81 percent) and of the Internet (from 84 percent to 80
percent); and
WHEREAS, To ensure continued global competitiveness in today's
knowledge-based economy, it is increasingly important for workers to
be able to cope with changes in the nature of work, shifts in the
labor demand, and changes in required ICT skills for the jobs being
created; and
WHEREAS, At the individual level, the ability to read, write,
perform proficiently in mathematics, solve problems, work in a team,
think critically, and use ICT is essential to education and workforce
preparation, employment success, civic participation, health care,
and accessing entertainment; and
WHEREAS, California supports ICT for applications in government,
education, the workforce, health care, business, and other areas; and
WHEREAS, It is recognized that all residents must have the
opportunity for full participation in the educational, civic,
cultural, and economic sectors of California society, and must have
access, and appropriate skills for, fully utilizing government,
education, workforce, health care, business, and other services; and
WHEREAS, A California ICT digital literacy policy should support a
framework and continuum of digital literacy skills, benchmarking,
and metrics consistent with globally accepted standards, and should
ensure accountability for assessing progress and success; and
WHEREAS, Having an ICT digital literacy policy is consistent with
the Governor's goals of strengthening the economy, expanding the
skilled workforce, and increasing competitiveness in sciences,
technology, engineering, and mathematics industries and careers; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature finds and declares that it
is the goal of the state to accomplish all of the following:
(a) Ensure that California residents are digitally literate, and
in so doing, recognize the importance of the following:
(1) Access to ICT by Californians regardless of geographic
location, income, or any particular advantage.
(2) The provision of ubiquitous broadband service in a competitive
marketplace at affordable cost.
(3) Opportunities for Californians to acquire ICT digital literacy
skills in order to benefit academically, economically, and socially.
(4) A California ICT digital literacy policy that furthers the
goal of all residents of California achieving digital literacy.
(b) Create a seamless continuum of digital literacy competencies
with benchmarks, metrics, assessments, and certifications endorsed by
the state to identify the ICT digital literacy proficiencies of
students, workers, and California residents overall.
(c) Establish a goal of pursuing and achieving ICT digital
literacy for students, workers, and California residents overall; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature further finds and declares that it
is important to maintain and advance California as a global leader in
ICT digital literacy by doing all of the following:
(a) Incorporate ICT digital literacy into workforce training
programs and curricula.
(b) Supporte and promote ICT digital literacy by encouraging all
public agencies to optimize e-government and the availability of
public services online.
(c) Require employers and employer organizations to identify
requisite ICT digital literacy skills for 21st century jobs and to
articulate appropriate training and assessment standards to local,
regional, and state agencies responsible for workforce training.
(d) Encourage public and private sectors to join forces and form
public-private partnerships to promote ICT digital literacy; and be
it further
Resolved, That the Legislature requests that the Governor create
the California Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Digital Literacy Leadership Council to provide leadership regarding
ICT digital literacy; and be it further
Resolved, That the council should be composed of the Secretary for
Education, the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, the
Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, and the State
Chief Information Officer, who should be the chairperson of the
council; and be it further
Resolved, That the council should invite the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and one representative each from the California
State Senate and the California State Assembly to participate as
members of the council; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.