BILL ANALYSIS
By: Pitts
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, state agencies have separate information technology planning and reporting requirements that could be integrated to provide a more complete understanding of the state's information technology framework. This bill consolidates agencies' information resources planning and analysis, and performance reporting.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
The bill amends the Government Code to create the Information Resources Deployment Review (deployment review), which requires a state agency, by December 1 of each odd-numbered year, to complete a review of the operational aspects of the agency's information resources deployment following instructions developed by the Department of Information Resources (department).
Unless otherwise modified by other rules adopted by the department, the review must include: an inventory of the agency's major information systems, as defined by Section 2054.008, and other related operational or logistical components; and inventory of databases; a description of existing and planned telecommunications network configuration; analysis of how information resources have been deployed with achievement goals and the state strategic plan both existing in current law; agency information necessary to support the state goals for the interoperability and reuse; and confirmation by the agency of compliance with state statutes, rules, and standards relating to information resources.
If the department deems that an agency is not in compliance with the state strategic plan, or department rules or standards, the department is authorized to require the agency to develop a corrective action plan. The department is required to report the status of corrective action to the state auditor and Legislative Budget Board. The bill states that any member of the quality assurance team may report that an agency is not in compliance to the governor and presiding officer of each house of the legislature.
The bill amends the Government Code to require the department to specify hardware configurations for state commodity items in its instructions for the preparation of planned procurement schedules, and requires each state agency to use the hardware configurations specified by the department in developing the agency's planned procurement schedule.
The bill amends the Government Code to require a state agency, in addition to existing requirements, to include an analysis of the strategic use of information resources as provided by the instructions outlined in current law. The bill requires one copy of the strategic plan to be sent to the department.
The bill changes the dae from November 1 to November 15 of each even-numbered year that the governing board of the department (board) is required to review and approve -- and the department is required to present a report -- on the use of information resource technologies by state government. The bill amends the requirements of this report by adding: a description of the status, progress, benefits, and efficiency gains of the TexasOnline project; a financial summary of the Texas Online project; a summary of the amount and use of Internet-based training conducted by each state agency and institution of higher education; and a summary of agency and statewide results in providing access to electronic and information sources to individuals with disabilities as required in existing law. The bill strikes the requirement to include a list compiled by the department's program management office of electronic government projects.
The bill also requires the Health and Human Services Commission to ensure that the coordinated strategic plan for information resources in consistent with the state strategic plan for information resources developed under Chapter 2054 of the Government Code.
The bill amends the Government Code to create the Automated Information Systems Report. The department, in coordination with the Legislative Budget Board, the Texas Building and Procurement Commission, and the comptroller are required to prepare a report on the current automated information systems of state agencies. The report must include: an analysis of how the current systems may be managed more effectively; the status of data-sharing methods that improve the ability to share relevant technology information; modifications to streamline technology data collection; and modifications to online reporting tools. The department must submit this report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the state auditor by December 31 of each odd-numbered year.
The bill amends the definition of who serves as the agency's information resources manager to the presiding officer of the governing body of a state agency, if the agency is governed by one or more fully paid full-time state officials, and otherwise the executive director of the agency, or the designated representative of the presiding officer or executive director.
The bill amends the required content of the State Strategic Plan by striking state agency guideline language for reporting on: outcomes and progress; information necessary to evaluate opportunities for information technology consolidation; progress toward implementation; the return on investment; and other provisions.
Lastly, the bill makes conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The Substitute differs from the original by adding the word "technology" to describe the type of data collection affected. It also adds a deadline date of December 1 of each odd-numbered year. for state agencies to complete a review of information resources deployment.