SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5842

                              AS OF MARCH 1, 1991

Brief Description:  Changing provisions relating to the department of information services.

SPONSORS:Senators Thorsness, Erwin, Metcalf, Saling, Oke, Cantu, Patterson, Anderson, McDonald and Amondson.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Staff:  Dave Monthie (786‑7198)

Hearing Dates:

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Information Services (DIS) was created in 1987 to provide coordinated planning and management of state information services.  The department and the Information Services Board (ISB) provide direction to state agencies on strategic planning and technical policies for information services, develop acquisition standards, and assist agencies in acquiring and implementing information services.

The ISB has seven members appointed by the Governor--including four state agencies, one from higher education, and two from the private sector--and one each from the judicial and legislative branches.  The Director of DIS is an ex officio member. 

Under legislation enacted in 1990, DIS was declared the lead agency in coordinating video telecommunications services for all state agencies.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the State Board for Community College Education were each given authority to coordinate video telecommunications programming for their respective institutions and districts. 

The 1990 legislation required DIS to provide the Legislature with a report by December 1, 1990, that provided a plan to insure cost-effective and incremental implementation of a statewide video telecommunications system.  That plan generally outlined a conservative strategy for implementation, including an initial series of four pilot projects, before proceeding with a statewide system.

SUMMARY:

The ISB is reconstituted with 12 members.  Four members are the chief executive officers from four cabinet agencies, appointed by the Governor, including the Director of DIS as a voting member.  Added to the ISB are the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Executive Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Executive Director of the State Board for Community College Education.  Two members are appointed by the Governor from the private sector, one member by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, and one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker.

A 15-member video telecommunications advisory committee is created to advise the ISB on video telecommunications issues.  The committee is directed to advise the ISB in a number of aspects of telecommunications development, and to develop criteria for the selection of pilot projects if funds are made available.  The members are set out, with two each appointed by the Director of the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Director of the State Board for Community College Education, four appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, one by the Director of the Office of Financial Management, four by the Director of DIS  from both the private sector and state agencies, one each by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, and the Director of DIS or a designee.  The committee selects its own chairperson.

Appropriation:  none  

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested