BILL ANALYSIS
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
H.B. 1912 establishes a temporary statewide data coordinator in the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to serve as a data steward. The coordinator's role would include improving data governance and integrity and seeking opportunities for data sharing across governmental entities that would result in future cost savings.
The state continues to accumulate and produce large quantities of data. To enhance its value and usefulness for decision-makers and the public, data must be managed effectively. What's more, integration of data across various systems within an organization increases its accuracy and, therefore, its value. Currently, each state agency in Texas collects and manages customer data independently. Texans seeking services often are required to provide duplicative data to each state agency with which they engage, and lack of coordination between agencies allows greater opportunity for fraud, among other concerns. According to the General Land Office, Texas could be better prepared and more resistant to disaster, for example, simply by improving interagency coordination, reducing duplicative data collection, and increasing accountability to ensure compliance. As a result of these concerns, states are pursuing legislation to improve data management and analytics to increase public safety, uncover fraud, create efficiencies, and save money.
What's more, managing the state's data is a cost-intensive process. Without solid leadership in this area, cost-saving practices and cooperation are not realized. Many state and local governments already have recognized that data management requires full-time guidance and oversight. According to DIR, the data coordinator position would serve an unmet need and would positively impact the agency's role within the data management systems throughout the state. Enhanced data management would create new opportunities for the state to strengthen services to Texans, improve operations, decrease fraud, and generate efficiencies. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)
C.S.H.B. 1912 amends current law relating to employment of a statewide data coordinator in the Department of Information Resources.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 2054, Government Code, by adding Section 2054.0286, as follows:
Sec. 2054.0286. STATEWIDE DATA COORDINATOR. (a) Requires the executive director of the Department of Information Resources (DIR), using existing DIR funds, to employ a statewide data coordinator to:
(1) improve the control and security of information collected by state agencies;
(2) promote between state agencies the sharing of information, including customer information; and
(3) reduce information collection costs incurred by this state.
(b) Requires the statewide data coordinator to develop and implement best practices among state agencies to:
(1) improve interagency information coordination;
(2) reduce duplicative information collection;
(3) increase accountability and ensure compliance with statutes and rules requiring agencies to share information;
(4) improve information management and analysis to increase information security, uncover fraud and waste, reduce agency costs, improve agency operations, and verify compliance with applicable laws;
(5) encourage agencies to collect and post on the agencies' Internet websites information related to agency functions that is in an open file format and is machine-readable, exportable, and easily accessible by the public; and
(6) encourage the evaluation of open document formats for storing data and documents generated by state agencies.
(c) Requires each state agency to cooperate with the statewide data coordinator in fulfilling the requirements of this section.
(d) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. Requires the executive director of DIR to, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to employ a statewide data coordinator as required by Section 2054.0286, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.