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2010 SESSION

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SB 236 Information Technology; Governor to appoint Chief Information Officer of VITA, etc.

Introduced by: Janet D. Howell | Walter A. Stosch | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Information Technology governance in the Commonwealth; the Secretary of Technology; the Chief Information Officer; the Information Technology Investment Board; the Information Technology Advisory Council, established.

The bill eliminates the Information Technology Investment Board (ITIB) and replaces it with the Information Technology Advisory Council (ITAC), which is established as a policy council under the Governor with the power and duty to advise the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Secretary of Technology. The ITAC is composed of 10 agency representatives from each Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of Technology, the CIO, and no more than two citizens, all to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretary of Technology serves as chair and the CIO as vice chair.

The bill requires the Secretary of Technology, in addition to existing duties, to develop criteria defining a "major information technology project" and, upon recommendation of the CIO, approve the procurement of such projects.

The bill grants the Governor the power to appoint the Chief Information Officer (CIO), who shall serve as the head of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). The CIO reports to the Secretary of Technology and is responsible, through his role as head of VITA, for planning, developing, and procuring enterprise applications and infrastructure services. The CIO is also responsible for planning, developing, and soliciting contracts for major information technology projects. The CIO may enter such contracts only upon approval of the Secretary of Technology. The CIO may suspend a major information technology project but such project may only be terminated by the Secretary of Technology.

This bill contains additional substantive changes to information technology governance in the Commonwealth as well as numerous technical changes. This bill incorporates SB 390 and SB 480 and contains an emergency clause. This bill is also identical to HB 1034.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

 Information Technology governance in the Commonwealth. Eliminates the Information Technology Investment Board (ITIB) and replaces it with the Information Technology Investment Council (ITIC), which is established as a policy council under the Governor with the power and duty to advise the Chief Information Officer (CIO) on: (i) development of all major information technology projects; (ii) strategies and standards regarding state agency use of information technology; and (iii) the development of enterprise applications, application budgets, and infrastructure expenditures. The ITIC also has the power and duty to approve the statewide four-year strategic plan developed by the CIO and approve statewide technical and data standards. The ITIC is composed of 10 agency representatives from each Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of Technology, the CIO, the APA, and no more than two citizens, all to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretary of Technology serves as chair and the CIO as vice chair.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Information Technology governance in the Commonwealth; the Chief Information Officer; the Information Technology Investment Board; the Department of Technology Management, established; the Information Technology Investment Council, established; and the Council on Technology Services, established.

The bill eliminates the Information Technology Investment Board (ITIB) and replaces it with the Information Technology Investment Council (ITIC), which is established as a policy council under the Governor with the power and duty to (i) approve the recommended technology investment projects report prepared by the Project Management Division; (ii) approve plans for the development, maintenance, and replacement of enterprise and multiagency applications developed by the Council on Technology Services (COTS); and (iii) advise the Secretary of Technology on the termination of major information technology projects. The ITIC is comprised of each Cabinet Secretary, the Directors of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, and three nonlegislative citizen members, all of whom to be appointed by the Governor. The Governor's Chief of Staff serves on the ITIC as chairman.

The bill grants the Governor the power to appoint the Chief Information Officer (CIO), who shall serve as the head of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). The CIO reports to the Secretary of Technology and is responsible, through his role as head of VITA, for planning, developing, and procuring enterprise applications and infrastructure services.

The bill establishes the Department of Technology (DTM) with the power and duty to (i) develop regulations, standards, policies, and guidelines for management of information technology in the Commonwealth; (ii) oversee information technology security, procurements, projects, investments, planning, and budgeting; (iii) report on information technology status and trends in the Commonwealth; and (iv) in consultation with VITA, identify and plan for the information technology needs of the Commonwealth. The Department is led by a Director who is appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the General Assembly, and reports to the CIO. The Department includes the Project Management Division, the Virginia Geographic Information Network, and the Public Safety Communications Division, all of which were previously under the supervision and responsibility of VITA.

The bill establishes the Council on Technology Services (COTS) as a policy council under the Governor with the power and duty to (i) advise the CIO on the application and infrastructure services provided by VITA; (ii) advise the Director of DTM on the development of information technology regulations, standards, policies, and guidelines; the list of recommended technology investment projects and proposed uses of state funds resulting from agency budget reviews; and (iii) develop, for approval by the ITIC, plans for the development, maintenance, and replacement of enterprise and multiagency applications. COTS is comprised of agency representatives from each of the Cabinet Secretaries and the legislative and judicial branches of state government.

The bill creates a new requirement that the Secretary of Technology develop a comprehensive statewide two-year strategic plan for information technology that addresses application and infrastructure needs, the use of information technology across state government, and information security issues. The Secretary is also responsible for the newly created DTM and shall coordinate and resolve any conflicts between DTM and VITA.

The bill contains several enactment clauses, including the provision that no additional funds from the general appropriation act passed by the 2010 Session of the General Assembly shall be used to implement the provisions of this act. Any additional funding necessary to implement the provisions of this act shall be provided from internal service funds maintained by VITA. This bill contains other substantive provisions and includes numerous technical changes necessary to update obsolete references.