Legislation that would require a modernization effort at every state department in California is sitting in the Senate Appropriations Committee's Suspense File.
AB 2087 "would require each state agency, not later than January 1, 2020, to, in consultation with the Department of Technology, establish modernization goals that will achieve specified objectives. The bill would require those goals to include, but not be limited to, goals for modernization of the agency’s information technology system and for usage of technologies that will improve the efficiency of the agency. The bill would require an agency, upon establishing those goals, to create an implementation and cost assessment plan for achieving them."
"The hope is that the bill would save money by phasing out duplicative and/or inefficient IT systems," the chief of staff for Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, R-06, William Kolkey, wrote to Techwire in an email. "It’s been fairly uncontroversial, and has so far received unanimous support."
Kolkey also said it was supported by the California Chamber of Commerce, California chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the Industrial Environmental Association and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association.
The bill states the following reasons for modernization efforts: "Technology is constantly advancing and changing the ways in which the working world operates. In most organizations, it is necessary to have the latest technologies to achieve the level of productivity required to meet the demands of a modern, fast-paced working environment. California’s state government has fallen behind on the incorporation of technology into its daily operations and cannot take advantage of the many benefits that derive from modernization of the workplace."
The Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2018 passed the Assembly with a unanimous vote and saw just three no votes in the Assembly Appropriations and Assembly Rules Committees. The bill's suspense status means it will remain in limbo until someone takes action.
"Costs to each state agency will be absorbable within existing resources," according to the Assembly Appropriations analysis.
The staff comments in the Senate Appropriations analysis state that having to reassign staff to perform these assessments, especially on large, complicated systems such as are seen at the Department of Health Care Services, would be burdensome and staff may not have the necessary skills.
"Much of what the bill seeks to accomplish already exists in the State Administrative Manual (SAM) and the Statewide Information Management Manual (SIMM), in addition to Technology Letters (TL), Policies and Guidelines – all of which are published by CDT," the Senate Appropriations staff comments read.
The legislation would apply to every office, bureau, board, department and agency, including the Legislature itself.
"The objectives of this chapter are as follows:
(1) To create flexible, family-friendly workplaces.
(2) To establish efficient and streamlined processes.
(3) To achieve cost savings.
(4) To reduce carbon emissions.
(5) To enhance the transparency of public information.
(6) To increase cybersecurity.
(7) To encourage the use of cloud computing and other innovative platforms and technologies."
If the bill passes a vote in the Senate, it would mean each agency would work with the Department of Technology to create a modernization plan by Jan. 1, 2020. The plan must include technologies that will improve efficiency.
After the plan is created, an implementation and cost assessment must be provided by each agency.