Evaluate State Information Technology Resources

Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires the state auditor to retain a qualified, independent third-party consulting firm (firm) to evaluate: The centralization of the management of state agency information technology resources in the office of information technology (office) as a result of legislation adopted by the general assembly in 2008; Whether the executive branch of state government has a strategic plan in place to guide its process for evaluating, prioritizing, and selecting information technology projects that require new or ongoing appropriations of state money; The opportunities the state has to interface with the public through information technology; The office's working relationship with state agencies and institutions that were not included in the centralization of state agency information technology resources in the 2008 legislation but that rely on the office to provide certain information technology services or resources; and Consumer satisfaction among state agencies with the management of state agency information technology resources and access to state government via information technology resources. The firm is required to provide the joint budget committee with an update regarding its progress in June 2018 and submit a report to the legislative audit committee, the joint technology committee, the joint budget committee, and the office by December 2018. The report is required to include recommendations to the office for industry best practice standards, recommendations for areas in which the office could work with the general assembly to improve the management of information technology resources and services, recommended future options for the state to solicit feedback from state residents regarding the public's opportunities to interface with state government, and policy discussions directed toward the general assembly. After receiving the report from the consulting firm, the joint budget committee, the joint technology committee, the office of information technology, and any other relevant office or department shall meet to discuss the implementation of the recommendations made in the report. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)