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Minutes for HB2331 - Committee on Ways and Means

Short Title

Substitute for HB 2331 by Committee on Government, Technology and Security - Enacting the representative Jim Morrison cybersecurity act and establishing the Kansas information technology enterprise.

Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 13, 2018

Chairperson McGinn opened the hearing on Substitute for HB 2331.  Jenna Moyer provided an overview of the Senate Substitute bill that has been proposed and distributed a copy of the draft bill.  Ms. Moyer responded to questions from Committee members.  (Attachment 4)  (Attachment 5)

Donna Shelite spoke in support of the bill.  We are at a point where we have got to start moving forward.  Data centers need repair and the average age of our servers is over nine years, which makes them difficult to patch and maintain.  Outside contractors have recommended consolidation in order to achieve savings that can then be used to do upgrades.  This bill would allow them to outsource when it makes sense.  There are some things that are highly standardized across cabinet level agencies, which could create efficiencies in equipment and staff.  This bill is a foundation for initiatives in information technology for years to come.  Ms. Shelite responded to questions from Committee members.  (Attachment 6)

Glen Yancey testified as a proponent of the bill.  Technology islands such as multiple data centers are spread throughout the agencies and departments resulting in overlapping infrastructure, physical space, people, etc. and, ultimately, higher levels of risk.  Essentially, the entire state assumes the risk of the weakest organization.  There is a high turnover rate of information technology employees due to a large number of retirement eligible employees and loss of people to private sector jobs.  We can continue to pay for duplicate staff and resources or we can consolidate assets.  Mr. Yancey responded to questions from Committee members.  (Attachment 7)

Alexandra Blasi spoke in support of the bill.  Her agency was opposed to the prior version of the bill but she has been involved in discussions with the Office of Information Technology and can now support the proposed substitute bill.  Ms. Blasi responded to questions from Committee members.  (Attachment 8)

Written testimony in support of the bill was submitted by Adrian Guerrero, State Board of Nursing.  (Attachment 9)

Written testimony in opposition to the bill was submitted by Ed Klumpp, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Kansas Sheriffs Association and Kansas Peace Officers Association. (Mr. Klumpp subsequently withdrew this testimony.)  (Attachment 10)

Eric Sweden spoke as a neutral conferee and provided an overview of information technology issues at the national level.  Talent management continues to be an issue and we need to be able to attract and retain good staff.  Building agency to agency collaboration helps with disaster planning and recovery.  (Attachment 11)

The Honorable Mark Forman testified neutral to the bill.  It is important that we focus on four topics: what citizens are looking for such as a single application that provides access to multiple government agencies; constraints of the current system with a patchwork of systems that do not allow for economies of scale; leading practices, which provide for a shared services approach and a high level of return on investments; and benefits of a shared services approach.  (Attachment 12)

Written testimony neutral to the bill was submitted by:

Alan Conroy, Executive Director, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System  (Attachment 13)

Jon McKenzie, IT Security Analyst, Kansas Corporation Commission  (Attachment 14)

There being no further conferees, Chairperson McGinn closed the hearing on HB 2331.