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1995 SESSION

LD3718376
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 640
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Rules
on February 2, 1995)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Murphy)
Requesting the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to examine the need for establishing an authority to build and maintain the Virginia Geographic Information Network.

WHEREAS, in 1989, the General Assembly established the Commission on Population Growth and Development and charged it with studying and developing a vision for the future of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the Commission subsequently found that much of the information it needed to answer questions and make decisions was unavailable, inaccessible, or inadequate; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly directed the Commission to develop, in conjunction with the Council on Information Management, a strategy for the statewide coordination of a comprehensive data collection system; and

WHEREAS, the Commission received in August of 1993 a report, “Virginia Geographic Information Network: Situation Assessment and Strategic Recommendations,” from its consultant, PlanGraphics, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, the Commission reported these findings and its recommendations to the General Assembly in its report, “Virginia Geographic Information Network, Proposal for Legislative Action”; and

WHEREAS, both reports recommended the creation of the Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN); and

WHEREAS, in 1994, the General Assembly appropriated $1.1 million and directed the Department of Planning and Budget to begin the phased implementation of VGIN; and

WHEREAS, VGIN is intended to include the development of a 1:12,000 scale digital base map for Virginia, with five priority data layers, and to support a geographic information systems management unit to coordinate state, local, and regional governments and private sector groups in collecting, maintaining, and disseminating information and sharing geographic data; and

WHEREAS, the role of the private sector in developing and maintaining such a system has not been adequately examined; and

WHEREAS, public-private partnerships can often more efficiently, effectively, and quickly meet the needs of both the public and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, the products and services created and provided through VGIN will have considerable market value in the public and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, even more diligence and speed are needed to establish VGIN for the citizens of the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University be requested to examine the need for establishing an authority to build and maintain the Virginia Geographic Information Network. The University shall include in its study the following: (i) a market analysis and financial feasibility study for the establishment and maintenance of a VGIN authority, (ii) examination of opportunities for investment and financing of the work of such an authority, (iii) examination of the development of regulations for the use, access, and dissemination of network information, and (iv) examination of copyright restrictions, Freedom of Information Act requirements, intellectual property issues regarding geographic information, and such other related matters as may be deemed necessary.

Technical assistance shall be provided by the Departments of Information Management and Planning and Budget. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the University, upon request.

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1996 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.