2011 Minnesota Statutes

16B.99 GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION OFFICE.

Subdivision 1.Creation.

The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office is created under the supervision of the chief geospatial information officer, who is appointed by the chief information officer.

Subd. 2.Responsibilities; authority.

The office has authority to provide coordination, guidance, and leadership, and to plan the implementation of Minnesota's geospatial information technology. The office must identify, coordinate, and guide strategic investments in geospatial information technology systems, data, and services to ensure effective implementation and use of Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) by state agencies to maximize benefits for state government as an enterprise.

Subd. 3.Duties.

The office must:

(1) coordinate and guide the efficient and effective use of available federal, state, local, and public-private resources to develop statewide geospatial information technology, data, and services;

(2) provide leadership and outreach, and ensure cooperation and coordination for all Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) functions in state and local government, including coordination between state agencies, intergovernment coordination between state and local units of government, and extragovernment coordination, which includes coordination with academic and other private and nonprofit sector GIS stakeholders;

(3) review state agency and intergovernment geospatial technology, data, and services development efforts involving state or intergovernment funding, including federal funding;

(4) provide information to the legislature regarding projects reviewed, and recommend projects for inclusion in the governor's budget under section 16A.11;

(5) coordinate management of geospatial technology, data, and services between state and local governments;

(6) provide coordination, leadership, and consultation to integrate government technology services with GIS infrastructure and GIS programs;

(7) work to avoid or eliminate unnecessary duplication of existing GIS technology services and systems, including services provided by other public and private organizations while building on existing governmental infrastructures;

(8) promote and coordinate consolidated geospatial technology, data, and services and shared geospatial Web services for state and local governments; and

(9) promote and coordinate geospatial technology training, technical guidance, and project support for state and local governments.

Subd. 4.Duties of chief information officer.

(a) In consultation with the state geospatial advisory council, the commissioner of administration, the commissioner of management and budget, and the chief geospatial information officer, the chief information officer must identify when it is cost-effective for agencies to develop and use shared information and geospatial technology systems, data, and services. The chief information officer may require agencies to use shared information and geospatial technology systems, data, and services.

(b) The chief information officer, in consultation with the state geospatial advisory council, must establish reimbursement rates in cooperation with the commissioner of management and budget to bill agencies and other governmental entities sufficient to cover the actual development, operation, maintenance, and administrative costs of the shared systems. The methodology for billing may include the use of interagency agreements, or other means as allowed by law.

Subd. 5.Fees.

(a) The chief information officer must set fees under section 16A.1285 that reflect the actual cost of providing information products and services to clients. Fees collected must be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office revolving account. Money in the account is appropriated to the chief information officer for providing Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) consulting services, software, data, Web services, and map products on a cost-recovery basis, including the cost of services, supplies, material, labor, and equipment as well as the portion of the general support costs and statewide indirect costs of the office that is attributable to the delivery of these products and services. Money in the account must not be used for the general operation of the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office.

(b) The chief information officer may require a state agency to make an advance payment to the revolving account sufficient to cover the agency's estimated obligation for a period of 60 days or more. If the revolving account is abolished or liquidated, the total net profit from the operation of the account must be distributed to the various funds from which purchases were made. For a given period of time, the amount of total net profit to be distributed to each fund must reflect the same ratio of total purchases attributable to each fund divided by the total purchases from all funds.

Subd. 6.Accountability.

The chief geospatial information officer is appointed by the Minnesota chief information officer who shall advise on technology projects, standards, and services.

Subd. 7.Discretionary powers.

The office may:

(1) enter into contracts for goods or services with public or private organizations and charge fees for services it provides;

(2) apply for, receive, and expend money from public agencies;

(3) apply for, accept, and disburse grants and other aids from the federal government and other public or private sources;

(4) enter into contracts with agencies of the federal government, local government units, the University of Minnesota and other educational institutions, and private persons and other nongovernment organizations as necessary to perform its statutory duties;

(5) appoint committees and task forces to assist the office in carrying out its duties;

(6) sponsor and conduct conferences and studies, collect and disseminate information, and issue reports relating to geospatial information and technology issues;

(7) participate in the activities and conferences related to geospatial information and communications technology issues;

(8) review the Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) technology infrastructure of regions of the state and cooperate with and make recommendations to the governor, legislature, state agencies, local governments, local technology development agencies, the federal government, private businesses, and individuals for the realization of GIS information and technology infrastructure development potential;

(9) sponsor, support, and facilitate innovative and collaborative geospatial systems technology, data, and services projects; and

(10) review and recommend alternative sourcing strategies for state geospatial information systems technology, data, and services.

Subd. 8.Geospatial advisory councils created.

The chief information officer must establish a governance structure that includes advisory councils to provide recommendations for improving the operations and management of geospatial technology within state government and also on issues of importance to users of geospatial technology throughout the state.

(a) A statewide geospatial advisory council must advise the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office regarding the improvement of services statewide through the coordinated, affordable, reliable, and effective use of geospatial technology. The chief information officer must appoint the members of the council. The members must represent a cross-section of organizations including counties, cities, universities, business, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, tribal governments, and state agencies. No more than 20 percent of the members may be employees of a state agency. In addition, the chief geospatial information officer must be a nonvoting member.

(b) A state government geospatial advisory council must advise the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office on issues concerning improving state government services through the coordinated, affordable, reliable, and effective use of geospatial technology. The chief information officer must designate up to 15 state government agencies and constitutional offices, including the Office of Enterprise Technology and the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, to be represented on the council. The council must be chaired by the chief geographic information officer. A representative of the statewide geospatial advisory council must serve as a nonvoting member.

(c) Members of both the statewide geospatial advisory council and the state government advisory council must be recommended by a process that ensures that each member is designated to represent a clearly identified agency or interested party category. Members of the statewide geospatial advisory council must be selected in compliance with the state's open appointment process. Members of the state government geospatial advisory council must be appointed by the heads of their respective agencies or constitutional offices. One member of the state government geospatial advisory council must be appointed by the Legislative Coordinating Commission. Members shall serve a term of two years.

(d) The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office must provide administrative support for both geospatial advisory councils.

(e) This subdivision expires June 30, 2015.

Subd. 9.

[Repealed, 2011 c 68 s 2]

History:

2009 c 101 art 2 s 55,107,109; 2011 c 68 s 1; 1Sp2011 c 10 art 4 s 1,8

NOTE: This section will be recodified as section 16E.30 when the conditions in Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 10, article 4, section 6, paragraph (d), are met. Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 10, article 4, section 8.