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.