SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1997 SESSION

970953443
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 566
Offered January 20, 1997
Requesting the Governor to appoint a Technology and Science Advisor within his Cabinet to advise him with regard to technological and scientific issues in Virginia and to assist him and executive branch agencies with the potential reorganization or restructuring of Virginia state government in response thereto.
----------

Patrons-- Scott, Almand, Darner, Guest, Keating, Marshall, May, McClure, Moran, O'Brien, Plum and Puller; Senators: Barry, Gartlan, Howell, Saslaw and Woods
----------
Referred to Committee on General Laws
----------

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 7 (1977) established the Legislative Scientific and Technology Advisory Committee to plan and implement a project to incorporate scientific and technological information into Virginia's legislative process, and funding was received from the National Science Foundation to establish such project; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 1978 and continuing for about the next two years, a science advisor position was created in the Division of Legislative Services, and such advisor provided research on matters related to science and technology to legislators, completed studies requested by standing or study committees, and served as staff to standing committees and subcommittees dealing with science and technology; and

WHEREAS, in House Document No. 15 (1979), the Legislative Scientific and Technological Advisory Committee recommended that the Committee provide research, assessment, and recommendations on technologies applicable to the legislature and the legislative process, study how to tap the private sector into valuable sources of technical information, and study appropriate issues as the need arises; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Governor Baliles established a task force on science and technology to recommend ways in which Virginia could effectively retain and attract high-technology enterprises and assist citizens, communities, and institutions in preparing for societal changes resulting from the technological revolution; and

WHEREAS, the task force recommended the creation of a policy advisory group of leaders from industry and education to monitor state agencies' performances in carrying out task force recommendations, provide guidance to the Governor and state agencies, assist in mobilizing Virginia's efforts on the federal level, serve as ambassadors to high-technology industries considering a Virginia location, and review the plans and performance of the Division of Industrial Development in technology matters; and

WHEREAS, the task force further recommended that such policy advisory group be active in formulating policy, have high visibility, and be specifically identified with science and technology, and that the Governor should be closely involved, perhaps as chairman; and

WHEREAS, the task force further recommended that the Governor create a high-level position within his cabinet structure to expedite and coordinate regulatory procedures associated with new or expanding business enterprises and to provide staff leadership to the policy advisory group; and

WHEREAS, by Chapter 782, 1984 Acts of Assembly, the General Assembly created the Innovative Technology Authority Act (§ 9-250 et seq.), which established the Center for Innovative Technology; and

WHEREAS, in Senate Document No. 3 (1988), the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) recommended that the General Assembly establish a supervisory board, called the Council on Information Management, to provide a permanent, continuous planning process for Virginia's information technology course; and

WHEREAS, by Chapter 424, 1988 Acts of Assembly, the General Assembly created the Council on Information Management (§ 2.1-563.28 et seq.) and gave the Council authority to develop an information technology plan and to establish policies to address information technology issues; and

WHEREAS, in Senate Document No. 16 (1993), a review committee, charged to study the performance and potential of the Center For Innovative Technology and staffed by JLARC and the Department of Planning and Budget, concluded that Virginia's strategic plans for science and technology were insufficient and recommended that the General Assembly adopt a resolution creating a task force to coordinate development of a statewide strategic plan for science and technology; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 390 (1993) established a two-year task force on science and technology to report on the status of the recommendations made in 1983 by Governor Baliles' task force on science and technology, coordinate the development of a statewide strategic plan for science and technology, and examine whether a permanent council on science and technology should be created; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 447 (1995) continued the task force on science and technology for another year and requested the task force to consider recent and ongoing initiatives of other organizations focusing on science and technology issues, and House Joint Resolution No. 714 (1995) asked the task force to study opportunities and incentives for information and communications technology to meet public needs; and

WHEREAS, in House Document No. 46 (1996), the task force on science and technology reported that no Virginia Governor had officially appointed a Science and Technology Advisor to the Governor, nor had any Cabinet-level position been created that specifically expedited and coordinated regulatory procedures associated with new or expanding business enterprises; and

WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution No. 195 (1996) created a joint subcommittee to continue and expand the work of the task force on science and technology; and

WHEREAS, among the recommendations adopted by the joint subcommittee is legislation, to be introduced in the 1998 Session, is one to create a permanent Commission on Technology and Science in Virginia's legislative branch; and

WHEREAS, Item 14 of the 1996-98 Appropriation Act directs JLARC to conduct a study of data processing services for state agencies and institutions, including the feasibility and advisability of privatizing the state data center located at the Department of Information Technology; and

WHEREAS, JLARC's study will also evaluate the effectiveness of statewide information technology planning and standards, telecommunications services, systems development services, and computer and telecommunications information technology operations of state agencies and institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS, the Appropriation Act provides JLARC with $450,000 for necessary consulting services, and, in response to a request for proposals, JLARC has retained the Gartner Group, and a final report is due no later than January 1, 1998; and

WHEREAS, since it appears that as a result of historical, recent, and current efforts by the legislative and executive branches of government to effectively and efficiently process technological and scientific issues, some centralized government entity within the executive branch will likely bear ultimate responsibility for the administration, oversight, and achievement of the Commonwealth's technological and scientific goals as Virginia approaches the twenty-first century; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Governor appoint a Technology and Science Advisor within his Cabinet to advise the Governor with regard to technological and scientific issues in Virginia and to assist the Governor and executive branch agencies with the potential reorganization and restructuring of Virginia state government in response thereto.