Section 45A.605 - Finance and Administration Cabinet's authority to enter into contracts for "information highway" for state agencies - Mandatory use - Exceptions - Status as a state agency price contract - Access to contract by certain nonprofit schools, nonprofit organizations, and economic development entities(1) As used in this section: (a) "Information highway" means a communication network for voice, data, and video communications technologies; and(b) "Agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky" includes all authorities; boards; commissions; councils; departments; program cabinets; the Kentucky Lottery Corporation; vocational schools; the Kentucky School for the Deaf; the Kentucky School for the Blind; upon written request of the Chief Justice, the Court of Justice; upon written request of the co-chairmen of the Legislative Research Commission, the General Assembly and the Legislative Research Commission; and upon written request of presidents, state institutions of higher education.(2) The provisions of any other law notwithstanding, the Finance and Administration Cabinet may enter into one (1) or more contracts, on behalf of agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, with any person, partnership, or corporation that operates an information highway. The information highway shall enable the Commonwealth to benefit from cost-effective telecommunications technologies and shall provide opportunities for the private sector. These opportunities shall include but not be limited to the implementation of transactions and activities associated with the provision of telehealth by licensed health-care providers as provided in KRS Chapters 205, 211, 304.17A, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 314A, 315, 319, 319A, 320, 327, 334A, and 335.(3) Upon implementation, all agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall obtain all available communications services under contracts executed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, except as provided under subsection (4) of this section.(4) The secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet may grant exceptions to the mandatory use of the information highway upon good cause shown.(5) Any contract awarded under subsection (2) of this section shall be deemed, for purposes of KRS 45A.050, a state agency price contract to which all political subdivisions and state-licensed nonprofit institutions of higher education may have access and use on the same terms as agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In addition, nonprofit schools providing elementary or secondary education and nonprofit health care organizations shall be allowed to have access and use the contract on the same terms as agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. "Nonprofit schools" and "nonprofit health care organizations" mean those schools and health care organizations which have been granted tax-exempt status under the United States Internal Revenue Code.(6) Any contract awarded under subsection (2) of this section shall be deemed a state agency price contract to which any entity that has been approved for economic development incentives under programs approved and administered by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority may have access and use on the same terms as agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.(7) Any contract awarded under subsection (2) of this section shall be deemed a state agency price contract to which nonprofit organizations whose exclusive purpose is the delivery of services related to education, economic development, or cultural arts and humanities, may have access and use on the same terms as agencies of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For the purposes of this section, "nonprofit organizations" means those organizations which have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code or those existing education based entities whose purpose is the delivery of services to state school systems, their employees, or their governing organizations and which have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.Amended by 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 80,§ 4, eff. 6/29/2017.Effective:3/8/2005
Amended 2005, Ky. Acts ch. 30, sec. 6, effective3/8/2005. -- Amended 2000, Ky. Acts ch. 362, sec. 1, effective 7/14/2000; and ch. 376, sec. 1, effective 7/14/2000. -- Amended 1997, (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 4, sec. 35, effective 5/30/1997. -- Created 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 439, sec. 1, effective 7/15/1994.