Accessible state technology.

(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Technology, within the Government Operations Agency, headed by the Director of Technology, who is also known as the State Chief Information Officer. The department is responsible for the approval and oversight of information technology projects by, among other things, consulting with agencies during initial project planning to ensure that project proposals are based on well-defined programmatic needs and consider feasible alternatives to address the identified needs and benefits consistent with statewide strategies, policies, and procedures. This bill would establish, in the Government Operations Agency within the Department of Technology, the Office of Accessible Technology to monitor and facilitate compliance of state electronic and information technology with the requirements of certain state and federal laws relating to the accessibility of technology. This bill would require the office to be headed by a Chief of the Office of Accessible Technology who is required to, among other things, audit compliance of state electronic and information technology with the requirements of state and federal laws relating to the accessibility of technology, train chief information officers in other state agencies and entities, and manage complaints from state employees and members of the public relating to the accessibility of technology. This bill would also require the chief to post the results of all audits on the office's Internet Web site. This bill would make these provisions operative only upon the Legislature making an appropriation to implement them. (2) Existing law requires each state agency and each state entity, as those terms are defined, to have a chief information officer with specified duties relating to information technology. This bill would specifically include ensuring compliance with state and federal laws relating to the accessibility of technology among the duties of those chief information officers.