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2002 SESSION

01-2040

04/10

HOUSE BILL 1231-FN

COMMITTEE: Education

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Establishes a pre-engineering technology curriculum in the public high schools in the state and creates a pre-engineering technology curriculum advisory council to advise the department of education on the implementation of such curriculum.

II. Transfers a capital appropriation to acquire pre-engineering technology equipment.

III. Provides that the words "community-technical" shall be included in any name change to any institution within the regional community-technical college system.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14feb02...1955h

6mar02...2752h

4/10/02 3323s

4/18/02 3491s

2may02...3771eba

01-2040

04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Two

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

271:1 New Subdivision; Pre-Engineering Technology Curriculum and Advisory Council. Amend RSA 188-E by inserting after section 13 the following new subdivision:

Pre-Engineering Technology Curriculum and Advisory Council

188-E:14 Pre-Engineering Technology Curriculum.

I. The department of education shall develop and implement a pre-engineering technology curriculum in the public high schools to provide statewide opportunities for high school students interested in careers in engineering, or allied engineering fields, to enroll in a high quality engineering technology curriculum.

II. The state board of education shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to course content, curricular requirements, and general procedures for implementing the pre-engineering technology curriculum. At a minimum, the curriculum shall include the following courses:

(a) Introduction to engineering design.

(b) Digital electronics.

(c) Principles of engineering.

(d) Computer integrated manufacturing.

(e) Engineering design and development.

III. In developing and implementing a pre-engineering technology curriculum, the efforts of the department of education shall complement existing public and private actions, and shall include the pursuit of innovative public-private partnerships with businesses, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and other appropriate groups. Such partnerships shall at a minimum consist of a 50/50 match of public and private funds. Teachers teaching in the pre-engineering technology curriculum, shall be certified to teach the course work as required in this curriculum.

IV. The department of education shall include in its biennial capital budget request, funding for the planning, construction, and renovation of equipment necessary for the operation of pre-engineering technology curriculum in the regional vocational education centers.

V. Public schools which implement the pre-engineering technology curriculum shall be responsible for maintaining the program with funding requests made through the budgetary cycle.

188-E:15 Pre-Engineering Technology Advisory Council. There is established a pre-engineering technology advisory council to advise the department of education in the implementation and expansion of the pre-engineering technology curriculum, to assist the department of education in pursuing public and private funds in order to ensure statewide access for all public high school students to pre-engineering technology curriculum coursework.

188-E:16 Membership and Terms.

I. The members of the advisory council shall be as follows:

(a) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.

(d) The president of the New Hampshire technical institute, or designee.

(e) The dean of the university of New Hampshire college of engineering and physical sciences, or designee.

(f) Three superintendents from school administrative units in which at least one school offers a pre-engineering technology curriculum to its students, appointed by the governor and council.

(g) Six members of the public representing businesses or other organizations, firms, or institutions which hire engineers or engineering technologists, appointed by the governor and council.

II.(a) The term of office for each member appointed under subparagraphs I(f) and I(g) shall be 3 years, or until a successor is appointed and qualified in the case of a vacancy. The term of office for all other members shall be coterminous with the term of office for the position that qualifies that member to serve on the advisory council. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner, but only for the unexpired term.

(b) The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly, and may meet more often at the call of the chair, or at the request of a majority of the members directed to the chair. The council may, by majority vote of the voting members, adopt additional bylaws as deemed necessary by the council.

(c) The council shall, at its annual meeting, elect one voting member to serve as chair for a one-year term, or until a successor is elected and qualified.

(d) No member shall receive any compensation for serving on the council, provided that the legislative members shall receive legislative mileage when in performance of their duties and the public members may receive compensation dependent upon the availability of funds, other than from the general fund.

188-E:17 Duties. The advisory council shall advise the department of education in the following areas relative to the implementation of the pre-engineering technology curriculum:

I. Curriculum expansion and revision.

II. Curriculum eligibility requirements.

III. Curriculum quality.

IV. Fund raising from private and other sources.

V. Allocation of funds necessary for the curriculum.

271:2 Capital Appropriation; Bonds Authorized. To provide funds for this act, any remaining sums in the appropriation originally designated in 1973, 567:1 (former RSA 188-E:10), and as amended, for construction appropriation for the state board of education to make grants to regional vocational education centers are hereby transferred for the purposes of this act and appropriated to the department of education. The commissioner is authorized to grant these funds for the acquisition of pre-engineering technology equipment available to all public secondary schools and regional career and technical centers. The state treasurer is hereby authorized to borrow upon the credit of the state not exceeding said sum and for said purpose may issue bonds and notes in the name of and on behalf of the state of New Hampshire in accordance with RSA 6-A. Payments of principal and interest on the bonds and notes shall be made from the general fund of the state. The bonds shall be 5-year bonds. This appropriation shall lapse June 30, 2005.

271:3 Regional Community-Technical Colleges; Naming. Amend RSA 188-F:11 to read as follows:

188-F:11 Name and Program of the Regional Community-Technical Institute and Colleges. The program of the technical colleges shall be designed to prepare qualified high school graduates or the equivalent as technicians and skilled workers and to prepare students to continue their higher education. The names of the regional community-technical institute and colleges shall be determined by the board of trustees subject to approval of the governor and council, provided that any name change approved for any institution within the regional community-technical college system shall contain the words "community-technical."

271:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

(Approved: May 18, 2002)

(Effective Date: July 1, 2002)