Virginia General Assembly Internet Filtering Law
for Virginia Public and Private Schools

Virginia schools are required to implement filtering in public schools by July 1, 2001 according to newly enacted state law.

Link to amended law:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?011+ful+CHAP0269

Federal Internet Filtering Law and
Regulations for E-Rate Recipients

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires schools and libraries receiving E-Rate discounts for Internet access and internal connections to comply with the Act.

On April 5, 2001 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued regulations for schools and libraries receiving non-telecommunications E-Rate discounts.

Full text of FCC regulations: http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Orders/2001/fcc01120.txt

In order to comply with the Act and continue to receive E-Rate discounts, schools must take steps to ensure the following regulations are met:

Schools must adopt an Internet safety policy that must include:

A technology protection measure that protects against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or with respect to use of the computers by minors, harmful to minors. This Internet safety policy must also include monitoring the online activities of minors.
- (FCC Part 47, Chapter 54 Section 54.520, Subpart F (c)(1)(i)(a))

Schools must also give public notice and hold a public meeting to develop the Internet safety policy. The policy must address all of the following issues:

• access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World wide web,
• the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications,
• unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking,” and other unlawful activities by minors online;
• unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and
• measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors.

If a school has already put in place an Internet safety policy addressing the above issues and held a public meeting on the policy (such as a school board meeting), the existing policy is acceptable.

Schools must certify on FCC Form 486 by October 28, 2001 that they 1) have complied with the regulations, 2) are taking actions, including procurement to comply for the next funding year (July 1, 2002), but have not completed all requirements of CIPA for this funding year; or 3) CIPA does not apply because the school is receiving discounts only for telecommunications services.

Consortium responsibilities:

The lead member of a consortium (or billed entity) must certify that all members of the consortium are in compliance with FCC CIPA regulations (if applicable) and has collected completed and signed Forms 479 (a new E-Rate form, not yet released) for each member of the consortium. Again, telecommunications services are excluded from compliance with CIPA.

Recipients of Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds to purchase computers are also subject to CIPA regulations. The U. S. Department of Education will issue regulations for those funds. Department of Education regulations are anticipated to be similar to the FCC regulations.

Children's Internet Protection Act Teleconference June 7, 2001
Power Point slides