The Department of Commerce (the Department) is responsible for promoting community and economic development by assisting communities to improve the quality of citizens' lives and supporting businesses to increase economic vitality and competitiveness while maintaining a healthy environment.  The Department's community and economic development efforts include efforts to increase economic opportunity, local planning to manage growth, providing public infrastructure, facilitating technology development and transfer, and public safety efforts.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) sets information technology policy and direction for the state.  The Geospatial Program Office within the OCIO provides support for geospatial initiatives and coordinates with state agencies to provide the geospatial information required to inform policy decisions. 

The Department of Commerce (the Department), in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), is required to conduct a study regarding the use of aerial imaging technology for state, local, special purpose district, and tribal government purposes, leveraging the state's existing geospatial imaging program.  The study must, at a minimum, include the following:

• an assessment of the ways in which state agencies, local governments, special purpose districts, and tribal governments currently use aerial imaging technology and benefit from having access to aerial imaging technology;
• an assessment of the types of imagery currently used or needed and the frequency of use;
• a determination of the minimum resolution level of aerial imaging that would best serve the majority of users statewide;
• an estimate of the current expenditures by local governments for aerial image acquisition and organization and of the cost of procuring, once per biennium, and administering a high-quality aerial imagery program on a statewide basis;
• an estimate of the economies of scale between individual flights procured by individual jurisdictions and the cost of procuring a single flight to obtain aerial imaging of the entire state;
• a determination of the best available mechanism for cost sharing between jurisdictions for the acquisition and management of aerial imagery; and
• recommendations about current sources that provide imaging data, further steps to improve the collection of aerial imaging data, and the steps necessary to implement a statewide aerial imaging collection and distribution system through the state's existing geospatial program.

In conducting the study, the Department must also seek recommendations from the OCIO regarding ways in which the use of aerial imaging technology could be limited by state law to strike an appropriate balance between effective and efficient utilization for legitimate government purposes and doing no more imaging than is necessary at no higher resolution than is necessary.

The Department may complete the study directly or contract the study to a third party.  The results of the study must be reported by the Department to the Legislature by June 1, 2023.