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Information Technology
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| Chair:
Senator Steve Kelley Minnesota Vice Chairs:
Representative Jeff Hatch-Miller
|
Staff Chair:
Daniel Schmidt Wisconsin Staff Vice Chairs:
James G. Gilles
|
This report is a product of the combined efforts of the officers and members of the NCSL Communications and Information Policy Committee. Thanks go to legislators and staff from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin who provided valuable comments after they reviewed the publication.
This document was prepared by Heather Morton, policy associate in the National Conference of State Legislatures' (NCSL) Denver office. The publication was overseen in NCSL's Denver office by Jo Anne Bourquard, group director of the Legislative Information Services program. Leann Stelzer at NCSL edited this report.
Although many contributed to the report, any errors or oversights are
solely the responsibility of the author.
Introduction
Thousands of information technology-related bills are introduced
in state legislatures every year. With the growth of the Internet, electronic
commerce and digital government, bills regarding technology are multiplying
every year. In addition to new policy issues such as electronic commerce
and Internet tax, technology issues are interwoven into traditional areas
such as education, human services and criminal justice.
Because of the growing volume of information technology-related legislation, some state legislatures have established committees to focus specifically on these issues. This report summarizes the results of a legislative survey to identify committees in the states and territories that address information technology policy issues. Committees that solely address legislative use and management of technology were not included in this report. This report is intended to be a helpful general reference and guide to information technology policymaking committees.
At least 31 states and two territories have established legislative
committees that specifically include information technology issues in their
jurisdiction. The committees are listed in the appendix. In those 31 states
and territories there are 60 committees: 10 joint committees, 22 House
committees, 19 Senate committees, three subcommittees, and six appropriations
committees. In addition, in 26 of those 60 committees the jurisdiction
of the committee includes issues related to energy, telecommunications
or economic development as well as information technology. Three of the
60 committees cover particular information technology issues, such as electronic
government and electronic commerce. In the remaining 19 states and three
territories which do not have committees focusing on information technology,
those issues are addressed by substantive standing committees, depending
upon the issue. For example, computer crime legislation may be dealt with
in the judiciary committee.
Profiles of Selected Committees that Address Computers, Information Policy and Technology
Ten states have joint committees that include information technology in their jurisdiction. Wisconsin's joint committee was created in 1991, followed by Oregon in 1993, New York in 1994, Connecticut and Arkansas in 1995, Virginia in 1997, Kansas in 1998, New Mexico and North Dakota in 1999, and Maryland in 2000. Established in 1983, Florida's Joint Committee on Information Technology Resources was the first joint committee to specifically address information technology policymaking; however, the committee was eliminated in 1998 in a legislative reorganization. The responsibilities and functions for many of these joint committees are specified in statute. For example, the joint committees in Arkansas, New Mexico and North Dakota have specified oversight authority over the state's respective department of information technology.
Connecticut Energy and Technology Committee
Originally called the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, in 1995 the committee was renamed the Energy and Technology Committee. This committee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to the Department of Public Utility Control, energy, telecommunications and information systems. As are all committees in the Connecticut General Assembly, the Energy and Technology Committee is a joint committee. In the 2001 session, the committee addressed the creation of a task force to review the high technology and communications infrastructure for the state, the location of telecommunications towers, Internet privacy and computer contaminants.
Oregon Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology
The committee's jurisdiction is delineated in statute. The joint committee 1) establishes statewide goals and policy regarding information systems and technology, including telecommunications; 2) conducts studies of information management and technology efficiency and security; 3) reviews the activities of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, Information Resources Management Council; and 4) makes recommendations regarding established or proposed information resource management programs and information technology acquisitions.
Twenty-two House committees and 19 Senate committees specifically address information technology issues. Committees in the House or Assembly were formed as follows: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana and Oklahoma in 2001; the Illinois Telecommunications Review Committee and New Jersey in 2000; the Illinois Computer Technology Committee in 1999; and Utah in 1997. Senate committees were formed as follows: Hawaii in 2001, Nebraska in 1999 and Pennsylvania in the early 1990s.
Arizona House Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee
Newly created in the 2001 legislative session, this committee addresses technology issues facing the state as it moves into a 21st century economy by enabling increased services and information through technology to citizens and businesses. The committee considers measures relating to electronic commerce, electronic government, privacy, and the development of high-technology industry in Arizona. In the 2001 session, the committee considered 51 bills covering issues such as on-line bidding, electronic renewal of watercraft licenses, the uses of the statewide technology account, the confidentiality of information systems security information, UCITA, privacy statements on state agency Web sites, electronic filing, and minors and the Internet.
Hawaii Senate Economic Development and Technology Committee
Organized for the 2001 session, the purview of this committee includes programs relating to economic development and other new industry development; financial and technical assistance to business; recreation, sports and athletics, state parks and beaches, recreational boating, and Aloha Stadium; and use of information storage, transmission, processing and telecommunications technologies by public agencies and institutions. This committee was referred 168 bills in the 2001 session, including bills regarding cybersquatting, the Millennium Workforce Development Training Program, the Hawaii Telecommunications and Information Industries Act, and tax benefits for high-technology industries.
Joint Committees with Separate, Single-Chamber Committees
Arkansas and Wisconsin have a joint committee, a Senate committee and a House committee to address information technology. The Arkansas joint committee and House committee were formed in 1995; the Senate committee was formed in 2001. In Wisconsin, the joint committee, consisting of the Senate and House committees, was created in 1991. In addition, the separate Senate committee on privacy, electronic commerce and financial institutions was created in 1999.
Kansas, New York and Virginia each have a joint committee and a committee in one chamber. Maryland has a joint committee and a House subcommittee. The single-chamber committee in Kansas was formed in 2001; the Virginia single-chamber committee was formed in 1998.
Kansas Joint Committee on Information Technology
Kansas House Committee on E-Government
The Joint Committee on Information Technology was statutorily created to 1) study computers, telecommunications and other information technologies used by state agencies and institutions, including executive, judicial and legislative agencies and regents' institutions; 2) review proposed new acquisitions, including implementation plans, project budget estimates and three-year strategic information technology plans of state and institutions; 3) make recommendations to the Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations committees on implementation plans, budget estimates and three-year plans of state agencies and institutions; and 4) monitor newly implemented technologies of state agencies and institutions.
Essentially, this committee deals with the nuts and bolts of technology projects. If an information technology plan requires $250,000 or more, the joint committee may review the plan. In addition, the Legislature or its committees may direct the joint committee to perform special studies or other specific duties.
Created in 2001, the House Committee on E-Government works in conjunction with the Committee on Kansas Futures to develop a strategic plan on how to provide and deliver services to citizens in the next 15 to 20 years. The three questions that are intended to guide the committee in developing an agenda and a strategic plan for effective government for the future are:
- How will developing e-government practices affect state government?
- What steps can be taken to encourage and expand e-government practices?
- How can e-government meet the challenges of demographic changes?
Virginia Joint Commission on Technology and Science
Virginia House Science and Technology Committee
Created by Chapter 11 of Title 30 of the Code of Virginia, the commission is charged to generally study all aspects of technology and science and to promote the development of technology and science in Virginia through sound public policies. The commission develops a workplan and identifies the topic areas it will consider each year. Study topics may be directed by the General Assembly through legislation, requested by government agencies and the public, and identified by the commission. Advisory committees then are formed, co-chaired by commission members and composed of people with expertise in the matters under consideration by the commission. Once the advisory committees have met and studied their assigned issues, the advisory committees issue their final reports and recommendations, usually including legislative proposals. Before the start of the legislative session, the reports and recommendations of the advisory committees are presented to the full commission. If the commission adopts the legislative proposals recommended by the advisory committees, the proposals usually are sponsored by the commission members and introduced during the legislative session. Finally, at the conclusion of the legislative session, the commission releases the Final Report of the Commission, which summarizes the commission's activities. The commission reports and additional information can be found at http://jcots.state.va.us.
Formed in 1998, the Science and Technology Committee is a standing committee of the Virginia House of Delegates, in contrast to the joint commission, which performs studies and provides policy reports on issues to the legislature. A good example of the roles of the committee and the commission can be demonstrated by following the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). Virginia was the first state to enact UCITA in 2000. From November 1999 to January 2000, Advisory Committee Five reviewed the proposed uniform law as promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL). After discussing UCITA, the committee decided to recommend to the full commission that UCITA, as amended by the committee, be introduced. The full commission adopted the advisory committee's version of UCITA, and the bill was introduced in the House of Delegates by Delegate Joe T. May and in the Senate by Senator Edward L. Schrock. Once introduced, the House version was referred to the Science and Technology Committee, as was the Senate version, once it passed the Senate.
Among other issues, the Science and Technology Committee has addressed electronic filing, electronic transactions, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), sexually explicit materials sent to juveniles, remote access to public records, procurement of computer equipment, information technology access by blind individuals, creation of the secretary of technology, identity fraud, creation of acceptable Internet use policies for state employees, extension of personal jurisdiction through the Virginia Computer Crimes Act, and the requirement of privacy policies on state Web sites.
Wisconsin Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology
Wisconsin Senate Committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial
Institutions
The Joint Committee on Information Policy was statutorily created in 1991. Technology was added to the title in the 1999 session. The joint committee consists of the standing Senate and Assembly committees on information policy and technology. Although the individual chamber committees may act separately, the committees generally operate as the joint committee. By statute, the joint committee has the authority to review and make recommendations regarding the technical aspects of the information technology planning process. For example, the joint committee took the lead on the investigation of Y2K issues.
The Senate Committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial Institutions has addressed privacy issues, banking issues and electronic commerce issues. Both the Senate Committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial Institutions and the Senate Information Policy and Technology Committee address a variety of information technology issues that may overlap.
In the Assembly, the standing Committee on Information Policy and Technology deals with the majority of the information policy and technology-related issues. Technology was added to its title in the 2001 session to reflect the direction the committee has taken.
Of the 22 House committees and 19 Senate committees, seven states-California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina and Washington-have committees that address computer and information technology issues in each chamber. Generally speaking, these committees work separately and do not hold hearings jointly. Massachusetts' House committee was formed in 1997, North Carolina's Senate committee in 1999, and Montana's House and Senate committees in 2001.
California Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the
Economy
California Assembly Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Subcommittee
on Information Technology
California Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Information Technology
and Transportation
California Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Communications
California Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Subcommittee
on New Technologies
The Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy considers issues of state economic development, international trade, and information and emerging technologies programs and legislation. The Subcommittee on Information Technology, originally a standing committee, was incorporated into the Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy in the 2001 session. In addition, a subcommittee of the Assembly Budget Committee addresses budget issues related to information technology and transportation. Legislation relating to utilities, energy companies, alternative energy development and conservation, and communications development and technology are considered by the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications and its Subcommittee on New Technologies.
Minnesota House Committee on Commerce, Jobs and Economic Development
Minnesota Senate Telecommunications, Energy and Utilities Committee
The House Committee on Commerce, Jobs and Economic Development addressed 263 bills in the 2001 session. Included were bills that dealt with criminal justice information systems, wireless communications, telecommunications, electronic evidence, technology use in schools, and tax issues.
In the Senate, the Telecommunications, Energy and Utilities Committee has jurisdiction over all bills relating to telecommunications, energy, and public utilities. During the 2001 session, the committee addressed emergency 911 telecommunications, Internet services catalyst grants, a human services 211 telephone referral and information system, Internet consumer protection, and telecommunications consumer privacy issues.
Washington House Committee on Technology, Telecommunications and
Energy
Washington Senate Committee on Economic Development and Telecommunications
The House Committee on Technology, Telecommunications and Energy considers issues regarding broadband technologies and the regulation of the telecommunication industry; the availability, production, and provision of electricity and natural gas and regulation of the electric and natural gas industries; and issues involving the Hanford reservation. Originally, the committee focused on energy and utilities, but in 1999, its name was changed to Technology, Telecommunications and Energy.
The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Telecommunications
generally hears the majority of information technology issues. The two
committees generally do not meet jointly. However, the committees may have
joint task forces; the last joint task force met approximately three years
ago to develop recommendations on unsolicited commercial e-mail.
Information technology subcommittees have been created in California, Maryland and Ohio. The Maryland subcommittee is the oldest, formed in 1996, while Ohio's was organized in 2001. The California Assembly subcommittee, originally a standing committee, was reorganized into a subcommittee in 2001. The California Senate subcommittee was organized in 2001.
Maryland House Economic Matters Subcommittee on Science and Technology
Formed in1996, the Subcommittee on Science and Technology generally
studies the bills related to information technology, including electronic
commerce and economic development. As one of five subcommittees, it has
the authority to temporarily import committee members from other subcommittees
or standing committees to hear bills that may require referrals to multiple
committees. The subcommittee held hearings regarding the UCITA, which subsequently
passed; Maryland became the second state to adopt this uniform act.
Appropriations subcommittees specifically addressing information technology have been formed in six states. Arkansas, California and Oregon committees were formed in 2001, North Carolina's Senate and House committees were formed in 2000, and Iowa's committee was created in 1997. Of the six appropriations subcommittees, Iowa's is the only joint appropriations subcommittee. North Carolina's Senate and House committees, while separately created, meet jointly as a practice of the subcommittee chairs.
Iowa Joint Appropriations Subcommittee - Oversight and Communications
Created by the FY 1998 Oversight and Communications Appropriations Act, this committee is charged with reviewing and analyzing the structure and operations of state government in providing services and enhancing the ability of the public to interact with government. Specifically, the committee is to give particular attention to state government's use of information technology, including its role in enhancing information sharing among subunits and branches of state government and between the state and other governmental bodies.
This committee addresses the development of information technology policy throughout the state government. During the legislative session, the committee functions as an appropriations subcommittee. It reports its recommendations to the main appropriations committee, as do the other appropriations subcommittees. During the interim, the committee meets monthly in its oversight role. The committee also makes recommendations for upcoming legislative sessions.
Conclusion
More than half the states and territories have established committees to
specifically address the complex and cross-cutting issues raised by the
increased use of computers and the Internet. In some states, jurisdiction
over information technology issues has been added to standing committees
that address utilities and telecommunications issues, and in some states
new committees or subcommittees have been created specifically to examine
information technology issues. These new committee structures demonstrate
the substantial effect of computers and information technology on society
and the importance to state legislatures of considering these issues when
formulating state policy.
Appendix A. Legislative Information
Technology Committees
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Appendix B. List of Committees
Joint Committees
- Arkansas Joint Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Connecticut Energy and Technology Committee
- Kansas Joint Committee on Information Technology
- Maryland Joint Technology Oversight Committee
- New Mexico Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee
- New York Legislative Commission on Science and Technology
- North Dakota Joint Information Technology Committee
- Oregon Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology
- Virginia Joint Commission on Technology and Science
- Wisconsin Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology
- Arizona Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee
- Arkansas Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- California Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy
- Colorado Information and Technology Committee
- Delaware Telecommunications, Internet and Technology Committee
- Florida Committee on Information Technology
- Illinois Telecommunications Review Committee
- Indiana Commerce, Economic Development and Technology Committee
- Kansas Committee on E-Government
- Massachusetts Committee on Science and Technology
- Michigan Committee on Energy and Technology
- Minnesota Committee on Commerce, Jobs and Economic Development
- Montana Committee on Federal Relations, Energy and Telecommunications
- New Hampshire Science, Technology and Energy Committee
- New Jersey Telecommunications and Utilities Committee
- North Carolina Committee on Science and Technology
- Oklahoma Science and Technology Committee
- Utah Public Utilities and Technology Committee
- Virginia Science and Technology Committee
- Washington Committee on Technology, Telecommunications and Energy
- Wisconsin Committee on Information Policy and Technology
- Arkansas Technology and Legislative Affairs Committee
- California Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee
- Georgia Defense, Science and Technology Committee
- Hawaii Economic Development and Technology Committee
- Massachusetts Committee on Science and Technology
- Michigan Committee on Technology and Energy
- Minnesota Telecommunications, Energy and Utilities Committee
- Montana Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
- Nebraska Transportation and Telecommunications Committee
- New York Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
- North Carolina Committee on Information Technology
- Ohio Economic Development, Technology and Aerospace Committee
- Oregon Information Management and Technology Committee
- Pennsylvania Communications and High Technology Committee
- Washington Economic Development and Telecommunications Committee
- Wisconsin Committee on Information Policy and Technology
- Wisconsin Committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial Institutions
- American Samoa Transportation, Fisheries and Communications Committee
- Guam Transportation, Telecommunications and Micronesian Affairs Committee
- California Assembly Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Subcommittee on Information Technology
- California Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Subcommittee on New Technologies
- Maryland House Economic Matters Subcommittee on Science and Technology
- Ohio House Jobs, Aerospace and Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on Economic Development and Small Business
- Appropriations Subcommittees
- Arkansas Technology Budget Subcommittee of Advanced Communications and Information Technology
- California Budget Subcommittee on Information Technology and Transportation
- Iowa Joint Appropriations Subcommittee - Oversight and Communications
- North Carolina House Appropriations Subcommittee on Information Technology
- North Carolina Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Information Technology
- Oregon House Advancing E-Government/Ways and Means Subcommittee for E-Government
© 2008 National Conference of State Legislatures, All Rights Reserved
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