SB 449 (Edition 1)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

S 1

SENATE BILL 449

Short Title: Fiscal Responsibility and K-20 Tech Planning.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Lee, Corbin, and Overcash (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate

March 25, 2025

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require all public schools, community colleges, and constituent institutions of the university of north carolina to REQUIRE MINIMUM CONSIDERATIONS ON TECHNOLOGY COSTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO REPORT ON BREAK/FIX RATE.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 115C‑12 is amended by adding the following new subdivisions to read:

"(50) Rule on technology costs. – The State Board shall adopt rules that require all public school units to evaluate the following when acquiring technology, computer hardware, and software:

a. The long‑term cost of ownership, including costs of repairing the technology, computer hardware, or software.

b. Any flexibility for innovation during the life of the technology, computer hardware, or software.

c. Any anticipated resale or salvage value at the end of the target life cycle for the technology, computer hardware, or software based on the average resale or salvage value of similar technology, computer hardware, or software as a percentage of the initial cost of purchase.

(51) Report on break/fix rate. – The State Board shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by November 15 of each year on the break/fix rate of technology across all public school units based on the information provided by public school units pursuant to G.S. 115C‑47(70), 115C‑218.33, 115C‑238.66(4a), 115C‑150.12C(37), and 116‑239.8(b)(6a). The report shall include a summary of the data reported by public school units as well as recommendations to reduce break/fix rates in the future."

SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 115C‑47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(70) Report on break/fix rate. –

a. The following definitions shall apply in this subdivision:

1. Break/fix rate. – The percentage obtained by dividing the number of school technology devices that have been reported as malfunctioning or requiring repair due to physical damage, hardware failure, or other breakage incidents prior to stated life cycle period, not covered by insurance or a policy plan period, by the total number of technology devices in operation during that period.

2. School technology device. – Any electronic or computerized equipment provided for educational purposes in a public school unit, including, but not limited to, computers, tablets, interactive whiteboards, and similar devices or anything considered a digital device for purposes of the digital learning dashboard pursuant to G.S. 115C‑102.9.

b. Each local board of education shall submit a report to the State Board of Education and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the break/fix rate of school technology devices by August 15 of each year. The report shall include the following:

1. The break/fix rate, as defined in sub‑subdivision a. of this subdivision, of the local school administrative unit from the previous school year.

2. The total number of school technology devices currently in operation in the local school administrative unit.

3. The total number of school technology devices in the local school administrative unit requiring repair, that have undergone repair, or are no longer in service during the previous school year.

4. The total amount of funds spent to repair or replace school technology devices during the previous school year."

SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 115C‑150.12C is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(37) Report on break/fix rate. – The board of trustees shall report annually to the State Board of Education on the break/fix rate of technology used in the school consistent with G.S. 115C‑47(70)."

SECTION 1.(d) Part 2 of Article 14A of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 115C‑218.33. Report on break/fix rate.

A charter school shall report annually to the State Board of Education on the break/fix rate of technology used in the school consistent with G.S. 115C‑47(70)."

SECTION 1.(e) G.S. 115C‑238.66 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(4a) The board of directors shall report annually to the State Board of Education on the break/fix rate of technology used in the school consistent with G.S. 115C‑47(70)."

SECTION 1.(f) G.S. 116‑239.8(b) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(6a) Report on break/fix rate. – The chancellor shall report annually to the State Board of Education on the break/fix rate of technology used in the school consistent with G.S. 115C‑47(70)."

SECTION 1.(g) The first reports pursuant to this section shall be given no later than August 15, 2026, based on data collected during the 2025‑2026 school year.

SECTION 2. Chapter 115D of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 115D‑9.40. Report on technology costs.

The State Board of Community Colleges shall adopt a policy that requires all community colleges to evaluate the following when acquiring technology, computer hardware, and software:

(1) The long‑term cost of ownership, including costs of repairing the technology, computer hardware, or software.

(2) Any flexibility for innovation during the life of the technology, computer hardware, or software.

(3) Any anticipated resale or salvage value at the end of the target life cycle for the technology, computer hardware, or software based on the average resale or salvage value of similar technology, computer hardware, or software as a percentage of the initial cost of purchase."

SECTION 3. G.S. 116‑11 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(9c) The Board shall adopt a policy that requires all constituent institutions to evaluate the following when acquiring the technology, computer hardware, and software:

a. The long‑term cost of ownership, including costs of repairing the technology, computer hardware, or software.

b. Any flexibility for innovation during the life of the technology, computer hardware, or software.

SECTION 4. This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025‑2026 academic year.