H. B. 2989


(By Delegate Staton)

[Introduced March 23, 2001 ; referred to the

Committee on Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business then Government Organization.]




A BILL to amend article one-b, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section nine, relating to providing a comprehensive system of planning, budgeting, acquiring, using, disposing, managing and administering of information technology in all executive agencies to be administered by the chief technology officer.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That article one-b, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section nine, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 1B. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.

§5-1B-9. Authority of chief technology officer relating to planning, budgeting, acquiring, using, disposing, managing and administering of information technology.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the chief technology officer shall, with regard to the planning, budgeting, acquiring, using, disposing, managing and administering of information technology in all executive agencies:
(1) Monitor trends and advances in information technology; direct and approve a comprehensive, statewide, four-year planning process; and plan for the acquisition, management and use of information technology. The statewide plan shall be updated annually and submitted to the governor, and to the joint committee on government and finance by filing it with the legislative librarian.
(2) Require state agencies and institutions of higher education to prepare and submit information technology plans to the chief technology officer. The chief technology officer has the authority to approve and recommend amendments to the plans. All state agencies and institutions of higher education shall maintain current information technology plans that have been approved by the chief technology officer.
(3) Direct the formulation and promulgation of policies, standards, specifications and guidelines for information technology in the state including, but not limited to, those:
(A) Required to support state and local government exchange, acquisition, storage, use, sharing and distribution of geographic or base map data and related technologies; and
(B) Concerning the development of electronic transactions including the use of electronic signatures.
(4) Direct the development of policies and procedures, in consultation with the department of administration, which are integrated into the state's budgeting processes, and which state agencies and institutions of higher education shall follow in developing information technology plans and technology-related budget requests. The policies and procedures shall require consideration of the contribution of current and proposed technology expenditures to the support of agency and institution priority functional activities, as well as current and future operating expenses, and shall be used by all state agencies and institutions of higher education in preparing budget requests.
(5) Review budget requests for information technology from state agencies and institutions of higher education and recommend budget priorities to the department of administration.
(6) Disapprove purchasing requests that do not conform to the statewide information technology plan or to the individual plans
of state agencies or institutions of higher education.
(7) Direct the development of policies and procedures for the effective management of technology investments throughout their entire life cycle including, but not limited to, project definition, procurement, development, implementation, operation, performance evaluation and enhancement or retirement.
(8) Direct the establishment of statewide standards for the efficient exchange of electronic information and technology, including infrastructure, between the public and private sectors in the state.
(9) Evaluate the feasibility of outsourcing information technology resources and services and outsource those resources and services which would be beneficial to the state.
(10) Report annually to the joint committee on government and finance on the use and application of information technology by state agencies and institutions of higher education to increase economic efficiency, citizen convenience and public access to state government.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to give authority to the chief technology officer to develop and implement a comprehensive system of planning, budgeting, acquiring, using, disposing, managing and administering of information technology in all executive agencies.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.