HB165 Summary

• Establishes the "Alabama Ahead Act" requiring the Alabama Public School and College Authority to issue up to $100,000,000 in bonds to fund digital textbooks and computer equipment for public school grades 9-12.

• Directs the State Department of Education to implement a phased program providing approved textbooks and instructional materials in electronic format to participating schools beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.

• Authorizes provision of pen-enabled tablets, mobile computers, or similar wireless devices to ninth-grade students where feasible, with devices rolling up to tenth grade in subsequent years while new ninth-graders receive devices.

• Pledges specific state tax revenues (utility gross receipts tax, utility service use tax, sales tax, and use tax residues) to pay bond principal and interest, with bonds classified as limited obligations not constituting state debt.

• Becomes effective three months after passage with bond authorization provisions taking effect only upon separate legislative enactment specifying an implementation date.