S.B. No. 757

AN ACT

relating to the planning and management of state telecommunications services by the Department of Information Resources.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2054.051, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(g) The department shall establish plans and policies for the system of telecommunications services managed and operated by the department.

SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 2054.055, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The report must:

(1) assess the progress made toward meeting the goals and objectives of the state strategic plan for information resources management;

(2) describe major accomplishments of the state or a specific state agency in information resources management;

(3) describe major problems in information resources management confronting the state or a specific state agency;

(4) provide a summary of the total expenditures for information resources and information resources technologies by the state;

(5) make recommendations for improving the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of the state's use of information resources; [and]

(6) include a list compiled by the department's program management office from the information gathered under Sections 2055.152 and 2055.153 of the electronic government projects:

(A) that are managed by the office under Chapter 2055; and

(B) that are not yet managed by the office under Chapter 2055, but have been selected for management under Chapter 2055; and

(7) assess the progress made toward accomplishing the goals of the plan for a state telecommunications network and developing a system of telecommunications services as provided by Subchapter H.

SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 2054.092, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The plan must:

(1) provide a strategic direction for information resources management in state government for the five fiscal years following adoption of the plan;

(2) outline a state information architecture that contains a logically consistent set of principles, policies, and standards to guide the engineering of state government's information technology systems and infrastructure in a way that ensures compatibility and alignment with state government's needs;

(3) designate and report on critical electronic government projects to be directed by the department, including a project for electronic purchasing;

(4) provide information about best practices to assist state agencies in adopting effective information management methods, including the design, deployment, and management of information resources projects, cost-benefit analyses, and staff reengineering methods to take full advantage of technological advancements;

(5) establish reporting guidelines for state agencies to report in agency strategic plans:

(A) the outcomes and progress related to the strategic direction of the state;

(B) information necessary to evaluate opportunities for information technology consolidation;

(C) progress toward implementing electronic government projects designated under Subdivision (3);

(D) the return on investment for projects and cost-benefit models for the projects; and

(E) other provisions in this section;

(6) provide long-range policy guidelines for information resources in state government, including the implementation of national, international, and department standards for information resources technologies;

(7) identify major issues faced by state agencies related to the acquisition of computer hardware, computer software, and information resources technology services and develop a statewide approach to address the issues, including:

(A) developing performance measures for purchasing and contracting; and

(B) identifying opportunities to reuse computer software code purchased with public funds; [and]

(8) identify priorities for:

(A) the implementation of information resources technologies according to the relative economic and social impact on the state; and

(B) return on investment and cost-benefit analysis strategies; and

(9) provide information about best practices to assist state agencies in adopting methods for design, deployment, and management of telecommunications services.

SECTION 4. Subsections (a) through (d) and (g), Section 2054.203, Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The department [telecommunications planning and oversight council] shall comprehensively collect and manage telecommunications network configuration information about existing and planned telecommunications networks throughout state government. The department shall provide the information collected under this section to the telecommunications planning and oversight council in a manner consistent with state and federal security restrictions.

(b) The department [telecommunications planning and oversight council] may require state agencies to submit to the department [council] the agencies' network configuration information, but the department [council] must use existing reports to gather the information if possible and minimize the reporting burden on agencies to the extent possible.

(c) The telecommunications planning and oversight council in consultation with the department shall establish plans and policies for a system of telecommunications services [to be managed and operated by the department].

(d) The telecommunications planning and oversight council in consultation with the department shall develop a statewide telecommunications operating plan for all state agencies. The plan shall implement a statewide network and include technical specifications that are binding on the department.

(g) Strategic [The telecommunications planning and oversight council shall perform strategic] planning for all state telecommunications services shall be performed in accordance with the guiding principles of the state strategic plan for information resources management.

SECTION 5. Section 2054.204, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2054.204. [DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN FOR STATE] TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN STATE STRATEGIC PLAN [NETWORK]. (a) The department shall consult with the telecommunications planning and oversight council regarding telecommunications elements of the plan under Section 2054.092. The plan must address matters relating to [shall develop a plan for] a state telecommunications network that will effectively and efficiently meet the long-term requirements of state government for voice, video, and computer communications, with the goal of achieving a single centralized telecommunications network for state government.

(b) The telecommunications elements of the plan under Section 2054.092 must recognize that all state agencies, including institutions of higher education, are a single entity for purposes of purchasing and the determination of tariffs.

(c) The telecommunications elements of the plan under Section 2054.092 must incorporate efficiencies obtained through the use of shared transmission services and open systems architecture as they become available, building on existing systems as appropriate. In developing the plan under Section 2054.092, the telecommunications planning and oversight council and the department shall make use of the technical expertise of state agencies, including institutions of higher education.

SECTION 6. Section 2054.205, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2054.205. DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM. (a) The telecommunications planning and oversight council in consultation with the department shall develop functional requirements for a statewide system of telecommunications services for all state agencies. Existing networks, as configured on September 1, 1991, of institutions of higher education are exempt from the requirements.

(b) The department in consultation with the telecommunications planning and oversight council shall develop requests for information and proposals for a statewide system of telecommunications services for all state agencies.

SECTION 7. Subsections (a) and (b), Section 2054.2051, Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The telecommunications planning and oversight council in consultation with the department shall develop service objectives for the consolidated telecommunications system and the centralized capitol complex telephone system.

(b) The telecommunications planning and oversight council in consultation with the department shall develop performance measures to establish cost-effective operations and staffing of the consolidated telecommunications system and the centralized capitol complex telephone system.

SECTION 8. Section 2054.207, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2054.207. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. The department shall consult with the telecommunications planning and oversight council regarding information that must be included in the performance report under Section 2054.055 [shall report biennially to the legislature not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year on the status of the current plan for a state telecommunications network and on the progress state government has made towards accomplishing the goals of the plan]. The report shall address consolidated telecommunications system performance, centralized capitol complex telephone system performance, telecommunications system needs, and recommended statutory changes to enhance system capability and cost-effectiveness.

SECTION 9. Section 2054.206, Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 757 passed the Senate on April 11, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.

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Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 757 passed the House on May 17, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, two present not voting.

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Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

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Date

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Governor