Bill Text: WV SCR61 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Requesting study regarding state-administered GIS for WV communities of less than 5,000 inhabitants

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 7-4)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-04 - Referred to Rules [SCR61 Detail]

Download: West_Virginia-2020-SCR61-Introduced.html

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 61

(By Senators Swope, Azinger, Baldwin Cline, Hamilton, Ihlenfeld, Jeffries, Pitsenbarger, Roberts, Romano, and Tarr)

[Originating in the Committee on Economic Development; Reported on March 4, 2020]

 

Requesting the West Virginia Geological Survey and the Office of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Coordination to research, study, and make recommendations regarding a state-administered GIS for West Virginia communities with less than 5,000 inhabitants.

Whereas, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are currently being used and developed across West Virginia by local, state, and federal agencies, as well as the business community, serving as a valuable medium for assembling, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced material, aiding in development planning, resource management, and scientific investigation in the state; and

Whereas, The management of geospatial information about the character and location of natural and cultural resources, and the human and economic activities that affect and are affected by those resources, is essential to all levels of government in the State of West Virginia; and

Whereas, There is a need to plan and prioritize the development of publicly funded data, define the roles and responsibilities for data development and stewardship, and formulate policies for integration, access, and distribution of geospatial data, and to develop standards, policies, and guidelines for the use of geospatial information by the state, other units of government, and private and nonprofit entities; and

Whereas, Executive Order No. EO 4-93 provided direction to the State GIS Program created by order and reaffirmed by EO 10-10 which further revised the duties and responsibilities of the State GIS Coordinator, the GIS Steering Committee, and the GIS Technical Center created by the same order; and

Whereas, Making GIS data, applications, software, and hardware more available statewide, particularly for communities with a low population and low resourced governmental agencies which are not in a position to implement GIS programs, the creation of a State GIS support program that supports this effort is paramount to the economic development of these communities and the state; and

Whereas, The cost of development, installation, and maintenance a stand-alone GIS is high; and

Whereas, Determining and formalizing the roles of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, the Office of GIS Coordination, the GIS Technical Center, and regional organizations with GIS expertise to provide GIS services and support to users around the state that currently have limited access to GIS data, software, hardware, and applications would support a statewide effort; and 

Whereas, In this context, some states are considering, as a means to ameliorate the cost of GIS, the establishment of support programs where licensed software, hardware, and training are more affordable to small municipal and county governments; and

Whereas, The effective use of an installed GIS system would require hardware, software, trained personnel, and high-speed broadband; and

 Whereas, Mississippi has a master purchase agreement (MPA) with a major GIS software provider on behalf of Mississippi governmental and educational entities; furthermore, a small municipal and county enterprise license agreement (ELA) was added to the Mississippi MPA terms and conditions. The ELA is a three-year limited term license as opposed to the perpetual licenses purchased under the MPA. The price list is not-to-exceed prices and incorporate a quantity discount based upon Mississippi volume; and

Whereas, It appears that there are many issues related to acquiring such a license in West Virginia which involve legal and economic variables which are yet unknown; and 

Whereas the suitability of a state-administered GIS support program, and the monitoring, implementation, licensing, training, outreach, and other issues relating to the state-administered GIS support system is paramount to the economic development of small counties and municipalities in West Virginia; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Legislature hereby requests the West Virginia Geological Survey and the Office of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Coordination to research, study, and make recommendations regarding a state-administered GIS for West Virginia communities with less than 5,000 inhabitants; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Geological Survey and the Office of GIS Coordination report to the Joint Committee on Economic Development, by October 1, 2020, and the Joint Committee on Economic Development report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2021, on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report, and to draft necessary legislation, be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

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