Associated Press

A bill that would allow some state university students to buy the computers they’ve been leasing from Dakota State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology was endorsed Feb. 2 by the House Education Committee.

Unless the legislation becomes law, those computers will have to be sold by using state surplus property laws -meaning more red tape, and students may not get first shot at them.

HB1241 would allow the computers to be sold through the campus bookstores in Madison and Rapid City once the leases are up.

DSU students have been required to pay a fee to use the tablet computers since 2004. The first leases on 965 computers used by DSU students are up at the end of this school year.

School of Mines students began a similar program last year.

The bill allowing the sale of those computers through university bookstores was sent to the House floor on a unanimous vote.

Stacy Krusemark, a DSU official, said the computers would probably be sold at market value. Some are in better shape than others, he said.

“Keep in mind though, we’re talking about a three-year-old device that has no warranty and that has been carefully taken care of by a college student,” Krusemark said.