BILL NUMBER: SCR 8INTRODUCED 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.