Honorable Gary Elkins, Chair, House Committee on Government Transparency & Operation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1898 by Uresti, Tomas (Relating to a study on state agency digital data storage and records management practices and associated state costs.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1898, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($250,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2019.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2018
($250,000)
2019
$0
2020
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2018
($250,000)
2019
$0
2020
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Department of Information Resources (DIR) and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) to conduct a study on state agency digital data storage and records management practices and the associated costs to the state. The study must examine: the current digital data storage practices of agencies and their associated costs; digital records management and data classification policies of agencies and whether agencies are consistently complying with the established policies; whether agencies are storing digital data that exceeds established retention requirements and the cost of the unnecessary storage; the adequacy of storage systems used by agencies to securely maintain confidential digital records; and possible solutions and improvements recommended by agencies for reducing costs and increasing security for digital data storage and records management.
The bill would require state agencies to participate in the study and provide appropriate assistance and information to DIR and TSLAC. The report on the study and relevant recommendations would be submitted to certain leadership not later than December 1, 2018. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2017 and would expire on September 1, 2019.
Methodology
TSLAC estimates that the number of hours required to conduct the study cannot be absorbed within current staffing levels and that there would be a one-time project cost of not more than $250,000 out of General Revenue funds to conduct the study. The agency would contract with a research firm to collect and analyze data within the time frame required by the study.
DIR indicates that their costs for the study can be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
306 Library & Archives Commission, 313 Department of Information Resources