H.B. No. 4018
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to legislative oversight and funding of improvement and
  modernization projects for state agency information resources.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter Q, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 2054.577 and 2054.578 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 2054.577.  TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION
  FUND. (a) The technology improvement and modernization fund is a
  special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue
  fund.
         (b)  The fund consists of:
               (1)  money transferred or deposited to the credit of
  the fund at the direction of the legislature;
               (2)  money received from the federal government for the
  purposes of improving and modernizing state agency information
  resources;
               (3)  gifts, donations, and grants to the fund,
  including federal grants; and
               (4)  interest earned on the investment of money in the
  fund.
         (c)  Money in the fund:
               (1)  may be used to improve and modernize state agency
  information resources, including legacy system projects and
  cybersecurity projects; and
               (2)  may not be used to replace money appropriated to a
  state agency for the purposes of operating and maintaining state
  agency information resources or reduce the amount of money
  appropriated to a state agency for those purposes.
         (d)  Section 404.071 does not apply to the fund.
         (e)  In this section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned
  by Section 2052.101.
         Sec. 2054.578.  JOINT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT IN
  INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION PROJECTS.
  (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Committee" means the Joint Oversight Committee on
  Investment in Information Technology Improvement and Modernization
  Projects.
               (2)  "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
  2052.101.
         (b)  The committee is created to review investment and
  funding strategies for projects to improve or modernize state
  agency information resources technologies.
         (c)  The committee is composed of six members as follows:
               (1)  three members of the senate appointed by the
  lieutenant governor; and
               (2)  three members of the house of representatives
  appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
         (d)  The presiding officer of the committee shall alternate
  annually between:
               (1)  a member of the senate appointed by the lieutenant
  governor; and
               (2)  a member of the house of representatives appointed
  by the speaker of the house of representatives.
         (e)  A vacancy on the committee shall be filled in the same
  manner as the original appointment.
         (f)  The committee biennially shall provide a written report
  to the legislature that:
               (1)  identifies:
                     (A)  existing and planned projects to improve or
  modernize state agency information resources technologies; and
                     (B)  the method of funding for each project
  identified by the committee under Paragraph (A); and
               (2)  includes:
                     (A)  a determination by the committee of the
  amount necessary to fully fund each project identified under
  Subdivision (1) to completion; and
                     (B)  strategies developed by the committee to
  ensure a long-term investment solution for projects to improve or
  modernize state agency information resources technologies is in
  place, including strategies to:
                           (i)  access the full amount of federal money
  available for those projects; and
                           (ii)  use information gathered by the
  department during previous projects to improve the management,
  oversight, and transparency of future projects.
         (g)  The department shall provide staff support for the
  committee.
         (h)  The committee:
               (1)  has the powers of a joint committee; and 
               (2)  may obtain funding in the same manner as a joint
  committee.
         (i)  The rules adopted by the 87th Legislature for the
  administration of joint committees apply to the committee to the
  extent the rules are consistent with this section.
         (j)  The committee is abolished and this section expires
  September 1, 2026.
         SECTION 2.  (a) Not later than October 1, 2022, each state
  agency in the executive and legislative branches of state
  government, using money appropriated to the agency by this state,
  shall prepare an agency-wide plan outlining the manner in which the
  agency intends to transition its information technology and
  data-related services and capabilities into a more modern,
  integrated, secure, and effective technological environment.
         (b)  Not later than March 31, 2022, the Joint Oversight
  Committee on Investment in Information Technology Improvement and
  Modernization Projects, in consultation with the Department of
  Information Resources, shall prescribe the form, contents, and
  manner of submission of the plan required under Subsection (a) of
  this section.
         (c)  Each state agency shall submit the plan developed under
  this section to the:
               (1)  Department of Information Resources;
               (2)  Joint Oversight Committee on Investment in
  Information Technology Improvement and Modernization Projects; and
               (3)  standing committees of the senate and house of
  representatives with primary jurisdiction over state agency
  information technology.
         SECTION 3.  (a) In this section, "committee" means the Joint
  Oversight Committee on Investment in Information Technology
  Improvement and Modernization Projects.
         (b)  The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of
  representatives shall make appointments to the committee not later
  than the 30th day after the effective date of this Act.
         (c)  The speaker of the house of representatives shall
  appoint the initial presiding officer of the committee.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4018 was passed by the House on May
  11, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 120, Nays 22, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 4018 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 117, Nays 26,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4018 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 27, 2021, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
  1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor