SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 1965

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

              Energy & Utilities, March 31, 1997

Title:  An act relating to the information services board.

Brief Description:  Changing the composition of the information services board.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by Representatives Radcliff and Huff).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Energy & Utilities:  3/24/97, 3/31/97 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Finkbeiner, Chair; Hochstatter, Vice Chair; Brown, Jacobsen, Rossi, Strannigan and Swanson.

Staff:  Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background:  The Washington State Information Services Board (ISB) is created with a variety of authorities relating to computers and software, including the authority to: (1) Develop standards for acquiring and disposing of equipment and software and for confidentiality of computerized data; (2) purchase and lease equipment and software, or to delegate this authority to other agencies; (3) review and approve standards for telecommunication networks used by state agencies; and (4) provide strategic planning.

The board is composed of 13 members, eight appointed by the Governor, one appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) or his or her appointee, one selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one selected by the President of the Senate, and the director of the Department of Information Services.  Of the eight members appointed by the Governor, at least two must be representatives of the private sector.

The board selects a chairperson from among its members.

Summary of Amended Bill:  The Governor=s eight appointments to the board are the five public members, one representative of higher education who is from the discipline of computer technology, the director of the Office of Financial Management (OFM), and the director of the Department of Information Services. 

The five statutory members are one from the judicial branch and four from the Legislature, one from each caucus of each house.

Members of the board no longer have to file annual financial statements with the Public Disclosure Commission.

The Department of Information Services must give copies to the relevant legislative policy committees of the project evaluations it does at the three stages of a project=s development.  ISB takes the leadership role in solving technological problems occurring due to the year 2000.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The composition of ISB is changed in the striking amendment to provide two fewer members overall, one more private member, deleting the representation of SPI, and naming the director of OFM as a member.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This is a good bill that ensures the year 2000 issue has a home and ensures that quality people from the private sector will be willing to serve on ISB.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Radcliff, prime sponsor (pro).