Bill Text: NJ A2037 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "New Jersey Information Technology Commission."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee [A2037 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A2037-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "New Jersey Information Technology Commission."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the State's technology infrastructure and establishing a "New Jersey Information Technology Commission."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of State a commission to be known as the "New Jersey Information Technology Commission." The commission shall be independent of any supervision or control by the department except as expressly authorized under this act.
b. The commission shall consist of 11 members as follows:
(1) one representative each, appointed by the Governor, from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Montclair State University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rowan University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, and William Paterson University; and
(2) four public members to be appointed, one each, by the Senate President, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, and Minority Leader of the General Assembly.
Each member of the committee shall have experience in information technology, big data, or cybersecurity.
c. The members of the commission shall be appointed and shall hold their initial organizational meeting within 45 days after the effective date of this act. At the initial organizational meeting, the members shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members of the commission by a majority vote. The commission may appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission.
d. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.
e. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
f. It shall be the duty of the commission, in consultation with the Office of Information Technology and Chief Technology Officer, to:
(1) evaluate the efficiency and security of the current technology infrastructure of each State agency;
(2) study potential technology upgrades to the computer systems, networks, and software and hardware programs across each State agency; and
(3) provide recommendations on how each State agency can improve and modernize its technology infrastructure.
For the purposes of this subsection, "State agency" means any of the principal departments in the Executive Branch of the State Government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission, or other instrumentality within or created by such department, and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality, or agency.
g. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the officials and employees of the State and its political subdivisions and their departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, and agencies as it may require and as may be available to it for the purposes of the commission. The Department of State shall provide staff support services to the commission.
h. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than one year following the first meeting of the commission. The commission shall expire upon the submission of its report, pursuant to this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire after the commission submits its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a "New Jersey Information Technology Commission" in, but not of, the Department of State.
Under the bill, the commission would consist of 11 members as follows:
(1) one representative each, appointed by the Governor, from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Montclair State University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Rowan University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey, and William Paterson University; and
(2) four public members to be appointed, one each, by the Senate President, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, and Minority Leader of the General Assembly.
The bill also requires that each member of the committee have experience in information technology, big data, or cybersecurity.
Under the bill, the purpose of the commission would be to, in consultation with the Office of Information Technology and Chief Technology Officer:
(1) evaluate the efficiency and security of the current technology infrastructure of each State agency;
(2) study potential technology upgrades to the computer systems, networks, and software and hardware programs across each State agency; and
(3) provide recommendations on how each State agency can improve and modernize its technology infrastructure.
The commission is tasked with reporting its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. The commission would expire upon the submission of its report.
