1998 Minnesota Statutes

     16E.03 Administration of state information and 
  communications systems. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definitions.  For the purposes of 
 sections 16E.03 to 16E.05, the following terms have the meanings 
 given them. 

    (a) "Information and communications technology project" 
 means the development or acquisition of information and 
 communications technology devices and systems, but does not 
 include the state information infrastructure or its contractors. 

    (b) "Data processing device or system" means equipment or 
 computer programs, including computer hardware, firmware, 
 software, and communication protocols, used in connection with 
 the processing of information through electronic data processing 
 means, and includes data communication devices used in 
 connection with computer facilities for the transmission of data.

    (c) "State agency" means an agency in the executive branch 
 of state government and includes the Minnesota higher education 
 services office. 

    Subd. 2.    Executive director's responsibility.  The 
 executive director shall coordinate the state's information and 
 communications technology systems to serve the needs of the 
 state government.  The executive director shall: 

    (1) coordinate the design of a master plan for information 
 and communications technology systems in the state and its 
 political subdivisions and shall report on the plan to the 
 governor and legislature at the beginning of each regular 
 session; 

    (2) coordinate all information and communications 
 technology plans and contracts and oversee the state's 
 information and communications systems; 

    (3) establish standards for information and communications 
 systems that encourage competition and support open systems 
 environments and that are compatible with national and 
 international standards; and 

    (4) maintain a library of systems and programs developed by 
 the state and its political subdivisions for use by agencies of 
 government. 

    Subd. 3.    Evaluation and approval.  A state agency may 
 not undertake an information and communications technology 
 project until it has been evaluated according to the procedures 
 developed under subdivision 4.  The governor or governor's 
 designee shall give written approval of the proposed project.  
 If the proposed project is not approved, the commissioner of 
 finance shall cancel the unencumbered balance of any 
 appropriation allotted for the project.  This subdivision does 
 not apply to acquisitions or development of information and 
 communications systems that have anticipated total cost of less 
 than $100,000.  The Minnesota state colleges and universities 
 shall submit for approval any project related to acquisitions or 
 development of information and communications systems that has a 
 total anticipated cost of more than $250,000. 

    Subd. 4.    Evaluation procedure.  The executive 
 director shall establish and, as necessary, update and modify 
 procedures to evaluate information and communications projects 
 proposed by state agencies.  The evaluation procedure must 
 assess the necessity, design and plan for development, ability 
 to meet user requirements, feasibility, and flexibility of the 
 proposed data processing device or system, its relationship to 
 other state data processing devices or systems, and its costs 
 and benefits when considered by itself and when compared with 
 other options. 

    Subd. 5.    Report to legislature.  The executive 
 director shall submit to the legislature, at the same time as 
 the governor's budget required by section 16A.11, a concise 
 narrative explanation of any information and communication 
 technology project that involves collaboration between state 
 agencies and an explanation of how the budget requests of the 
 several agencies collaborating on the project relate to each 
 other. 

    Subd. 6.    System development methods.  The executive 
 director shall establish and, as necessary, update and modify 
 methods for developing information and communications systems 
 appropriate to the specific needs of individual state agencies.  
 The development methods shall be used to define the design, 
 programming, and implementation of systems.  The development 
 methods must also enable and require a data processing system to 
 be defined in terms of its computer programs, input 
 requirements, output formats, administrative procedures, and 
 processing frequencies. 

    Subd. 7.    Data security systems.  In consultation with 
 the attorney general and appropriate agency heads, the executive 
 director shall develop data security policies, guidelines, and 
 standards, and the commissioner of administration shall install 
 and administer state data security systems on the state's 
 centralized computer facility consistent with these policies, 
 guidelines, standards, and state law to ensure the integrity of 
 computer-based and other data and to ensure applicable 
 limitations on access to data, consistent with the public's 
 right to know as defined in chapter 13.  Each department or 
 agency head is responsible for the security of the department's 
 or agency's data. 

    Subd. 8.    Joint actions.  The executive director may 
 join with the federal government, other states, local 
 governments, and organizations representing those groups either 
 jointly or severally in the development and implementation of 
 systems analysis, information services, and computerization 
 projects. 

    HIST: 1997 c 202 art 3 s 9; 1997 c 212 s 3,4; 1998 c 359 s 15; 
 1998 c 366 s 42-45