Bill Text: CT HB05172 | 2018 | General Assembly | Comm Sub


Bill Title: An Act Concerning State Agency Data Management And Processes, The Transmittal Of Town Property Assessment Information And The Suspension Of Certain Regulatory Requirements.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-04-09 - Tabled for the Calendar, House [HB05172 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05172-Comm_Sub.html

General Assembly

 

Substitute Bill No. 5172

February Session, 2018

 

*_____HB05172PD____040918____*

AN ACT CONCERNING STATE AGENCY DATA MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSES, THE TRANSMITTAL OF TOWN PROPERTY ASSESSMENT INFORMATION AND THE SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) As used in this section and section 2 of this act:

(1) "Data" means the final version of statistical or factual information that: (A) Is reflected in a list, table, graph, chart or other nonnarrative form, that can be digitally transmitted or processed; (B) is regularly created and maintained by or on behalf of an executive branch agency; and (C) records a measurement, transaction or determination related to the mission of the agency or is provided to the agency by third parties pursuant to law.

(2) "Executive branch agency" includes any agency listed in section 4-38c of the general statutes, except the Board of Regents for Higher Education.

(3) "High value data" means any data that (A) is critical to the operation of an executive branch agency; (B) can increase executive branch agency accountability and responsiveness; (C) can improve public knowledge of the executive branch agency and its operations; (D) can further the core mission of the executive branch agency; (E) can create economic opportunity; (F) is frequently requested by the public; (G) responds to a need and demand as identified by the agency through public consultation; or (H) is used in any legislative or other reporting requirements.

(4) "Open data" means any data that (A) is freely available in convenient and modifiable format and can be retrieved, downloaded, indexed and searched; (B) is formatted in a manner that allows for automated machine processing; (C) does not have restrictions governing use; (D) is published in primary forms, with the finest possible level of detail that is practicable and permitted by law; and (E) is described in enough detail so consumers of the data have sufficient information to understand (i) the strengths, weaknesses, analytical limitations and security requirements of the data, and (ii) how to process such data.

(5) "Public data" means any data collected by an executive branch agency that is permitted to be made available to the public, consistent with any and all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, resolutions, policies or other restrictions, requirements or rights associated with the data, including, but not limited to, contractual or other legal restrictions, orders or requirements.

(6) "Protected data" means any data the public disclosure of which would (A) violate federal or state laws or regulations; (B) endanger the public health, safety or welfare; (C) hinder the operation of government, including criminal and civil investigations; or (D) impose an undue financial, operational or administrative burden on the executive branch agency.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Office of Policy and Management shall be responsible for (1) directing executive branch agencies in the use and management of data to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs and policies, (2) facilitating the sharing and use of executive branch agency data (A) between executive branch agencies, and (B) with the public, and (3) coordinating data analytics and transparency master planning for executive branch agencies.

(b) The Office of Policy and Management shall operate and maintain an online repository for the publication of open data by executive branch agencies.

(c) On or before December 31, 2018, and not less than annually thereafter, each executive branch agency shall conduct an inventory of any high value data that is collected or possessed by the agency. Such inventory shall be in a form prescribed by the Office of Policy and Management. In conducting such inventory, data shall be presumed to be public data unless otherwise classified by federal or state law or regulation. On or before December 31, 2018, and not less than annually thereafter, each executive branch agency shall submit such inventory to the Office of Policy and Management.

(d) Each executive branch agency shall develop an open data access plan. Such plan shall be in a form prescribed by the Office of Policy and Management and shall detail the agency's plan to publish, as open data, any public data that the agency has identified and any protected data that can be made public through aggregation, de-identification or other means sufficient to satisfy applicable state or federal law or regulation.

(e) Each executive branch agency shall designate an employee of the agency as the agency data officer, who shall be responsible for implementing the provisions of this section and serve as the individual to whom persons may direct inquiries, requests or concerns regarding access to data. The agency data officer shall establish procedures to ensure that requests for data are received and complied with in an appropriate and prompt manner.

(f) Any state agency that is not an executive branch agency may voluntarily opt to comply with the provisions of this section and, upon submission of written notice of the agency's decision to the Office of Policy and Management, the provisions of this section shall apply to such agency. The Office of Policy and Management shall create and maintain a list of all agencies subject to the provisions of this section, including those that have voluntarily opted to comply, and shall publish such list on the office's Internet web site.

Sec. 3. Section 4-68z of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

The Office of Policy and Management, within available appropriations, shall [enter into an agreement for consultant services to apply LEAN practices and principles to the permitting and enforcement processes of the Departments of Energy and Environmental Protection, Economic and Community Development, Administrative Services and Transportation that are most frequently utilized by business entities. Such agreement shall also require the consultant to apply LEAN practices and principles to the licensure procedures for commercial bus drivers that are currently performed by the Departments of Consumer Protection, Emergency Services and Public Protection, and Children and Families. Such consultant shall develop recommendations for the implementation of a prepermitting system for commercial bus drivers that enables businesses to utilize commercial bus drivers who await the applicable licensing authority's performance of a criminal background check] establish and oversee a state-wide process improvement initiative, to assist executive branch state agencies with business process analysis for purposes of (1) streamlining processes, (2) optimizing service delivery through information technology, (3) eliminating unnecessary work, (4) establishing standardized work flows, and (5) prioritizing available resources to promote economic growth, improve services and increase workforce productivity. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall establish a steering committee to support such initiative. The secretary, or the secretary's designee, shall be the chairperson of such committee.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Digital parcel file" means a computer file or files containing a graphic vector representation of the boundary information originally depicted and maintained on a town assessor's maps, including, but not limited to, fee ownership, public and private rights of way and easements, that are typically created in and maintained using a geographic information system or computer aided design software;

(2) "Assessor database" means the database of property assessment information maintained by the town assessor; also referred to as the tax list, property list, Computer Aided Mass Appraisal system or Computer Aided Mass Appraisal database; and

(3) "Property" means a record in an assessor database.

(b) On or before May 1, 2019, and not less than annually thereafter, each town that possesses or contracts for services for the creation or maintenance of a digital parcel file shall transmit such file to the regional council of governments of which it is a member. If a town is not a member of a council of governments, the town shall transmit such file to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. The digital parcel file shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) any information from the assessor database that (A) uniquely identifies each property in the digital parcel file, (B) identifies the size of each property, (C) identifies the address of each property, (D) identifies the value of the land, buildings and other improvements for each property, and (E) identifies the year in which buildings were constructed for each property; and (2) any other information deemed necessary by the applicable regional council of governments.

(c) On or before July 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, each regional council of governments shall submit a report to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to planning and development, that lists each town that (1) has failed to provide its digital parcel file, or (2) does not possess a digital parcel file.

Sec. 5. Section 4-60s of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(a) Each state agency of the Executive Department shall explore the feasibility of converting all applications and forms used by the public to electronic format and create an inventory of all forms used by such agency.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 54, an agency, as defined in section 4-166, may suspend any requirements for paper filing or service of documents requirements contained in any regulation adopted by such agency pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 4-167 and may establish an electronic filing system for formal and informal agency proceedings. Such agency, before establishing such a system, shall give at least thirty days' notice by posting on its Internet web site and publishing in the Connecticut Law Journal a notice of its intended action and the instructions for the use of such system. Any agency establishing such a system shall grant a request from a person, as defined in section 4-166, for an exemption from any electronic filing requirements due to a hardship communicated in writing to the agency, including, but not limited to, a lack of access to a device capable of electronic filing or the incompatibility of a specific filing with the electronic filing system.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 54, an agency, as defined in section 4-166, may suspend any requirement established in any regulation adopted by such agency for the paper or facsimile submission of documents or data required to be submitted to such agency by federal or state statute or regulation, or a license, as defined in section 4-166, and require electronic filing of such documents or data or any other information required to be submitted to such agency in writing, in a manner prescribed by the agency. Prior to the establishment of such electronic filing requirements, the agency shall provide at least thirty days' notice on its Internet web site and in the Connecticut Law Journal and include with the notice the agency's instructions for electronic filing. Such instructions shall be maintained on the agency's Internet web site as long as the agency requires electronic filing of such documents and data.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

from passage

New section

Sec. 2

from passage

New section

Sec. 3

July 1, 2018

4-68z

Sec. 4

from passage

New section

Sec. 5

July 1, 2018

4-60s

GAE

Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO

 

PD

Joint Favorable

 
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