By: Nelson S.B. No. 819
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state agency electronic information and processes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2054.0286, Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 2054.0286.  CHIEF DATA OFFICER [STATEWIDE DATA
  COORDINATOR]. (a)  The executive director, using existing
  department funds, shall employ a chief data officer [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; and
               (4)  assist the department in the development and
  management of a data portal for use by state agencies.
         (b)  The chief data officer [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;
               (5)  encourage agencies to collect and post on the
  agencies' Internet websites or the data portal managed by the
  department information related to an agency's [agency] functions or
  other data maintained by the agency 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)  Each state agency shall cooperate with the chief data
  officer [statewide data coordinator] in fulfilling the
  requirements of this section.
         [(d)  This section expires September 1, 2021.]
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 2054.069 and 2054.070 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 2054.069.  DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION GUIDE.  (a)  The
  department shall establish a digital transformation guide to assist
  state agencies with:
               (1)  modernizing agency operations and services with
  respect to electronic data; and
               (2)  converting agency information into electronic
  data.
         (b)  The department may provide:
               (1)  mobile application development assistance;
               (2)  paper document and form inventory assistance;
               (3)  paperless or paper-on-request operational process
  planning and development; and
               (4)  electronic notification and digital communication
  between the agency and the public.
         Sec. 2054.070.  CENTRAL REPOSITORY FOR PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE
  ELECTRONIC DATA. (a)  The department shall:
               (1)  establish a central repository of publicly
  accessible electronic data as the official open data Internet
  website for this state;
               (2)  designate the repository as the Texas Open Data
  Portal; and
               (3)  ensure that state agencies and political
  subdivisions of this state are granted shared access to the
  repository that allows the agencies and political subdivisions to
  easily post publicly accessible information to the repository.
         (b)  Each state agency shall prioritize using the central
  repository of electronic data established under Subsection (a) and
  actively collaborate with the department on publicly accessible
  data issues.
         SECTION 3.  Section 2054.071, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 2054.071.  IDENTITY OF MANAGER; CONSOLIDATION.  
  (a)  Each state agency shall designate an employee of the agency 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, shall] serve as the agency's information resources
  manager.
         (b)  An employee [A representative] designated under
  Subsection (a) may be designated to serve as a joint information
  resources manager by two or more state agencies. The department
  must approve the joint designation.
         SECTION 4.  Section 2157.007(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A state agency shall consider:
               (1)  cloud computing service options, including any
  security benefits and cost savings associated with purchasing those
  service options from a cloud computing service provider and from a
  statewide technology center established by the department, when
  making purchases for a major information resources project under
  Section 2054.118; and
               (2)  cloud computing service options and compatibility
  with cloud computing services in the development of new information
  technology software applications.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.