By: Zaffirini  S.B. No. 1845
         (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
  April 20, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 20, 2015,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1845 By:  Watson
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to employment of a statewide data coordinator in the
  Department of Information Resources.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2054.0286 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2054.0286.  STATEWIDE DATA COORDINATOR. (a)  The
  executive director, using existing department funds, shall 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)  The statewide data coordinator shall 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; and
               (5)  encourage agencies to collect and post on the
  agencies' Internet websites information related to agency
  functions that is in an open source format and is machine-readable,
  exportable, and easily accessible by the public.
         (c)  Each state agency shall cooperate with the statewide
  data coordinator in fulfilling the requirements of this section.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive director of the Department of
  Information Resources shall employ a statewide data coordinator as
  required by Section 2054.0286, Government Code, as added by this
  Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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