Department of Administration
Department of Administration
Department of Administration

New Law Makes Changes to the State’s Management of Technology

7/8/2021

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Charleston, WV -- West Virginia is making strides to bring the state's management of technology up to​​par with other states. During the 2021 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 486 passed both the House and Senate with a sweeping vote of “Yeas” and was signed into law by Gov. Jim Justice. After sitting untouched since 2006, the bill modernizes existing language in W. Va. Code §5A-6, bringing about some significant changes and further streamlining processes.

The new law, which expands the West Virginia Office of Technology (WVOT) Chief Technology Officer’s (CTO) responsibilities, allows the CTO to provide information technology governance across departments and agencies statewide. With the changes, the Office of Technology and CTO will be better positioned to identify efficiencies in information technology, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and opportunities for resource sharing across all the executive branch

“You don’t buy a computer for the sake of buying a computer,” said West Virginia CTO Josh Spence. “Any purchase should have an intended purpose, especially those with state taxpayer dollars at stake. In government, the intended purpose of technology investments should align with government business goals, such as improving citizen services or bringing efficiency to government operations to reduce costs.”

Among the most substantive changes made to W. Va. Code §5A-6 was the reference of “Chief Technology Officer,” used to describe the governor-appointed head of the WVOT, changed to “Chief Information Officer” (CIO) to encapsulate the significance of the position’s role as more than just an information technology manager, something most other states had already done. Definitions were also updated to reflect language from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

In the last year, the CTO and his team provided crucial technology services empowering agencies to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic and remote work and implemented enhanced service offerings, upgraded technology infrastructure and cyber security capabilities while supporting a myriad of agencydriven projects. Among its most notable achievements is the ongoing transition to Google Workspace, which will offer training and resources to more than 22,000 state employees on advanced productivity software, providing opportunities to modernize daily processes while reducing technology infrastructure costs.

“Empowering and supporting the efficient, effective, and protected use of technology by state agencies is WVOT’s foundational purpose,” shared Spence.

Other significant updates made as a result of Senate Bill 486 include giving the CIO authority to request resources for technology, including personnel, through a federal program for cybersecurity; charging the CIO to assemble a state technology portfolio, which builds the business case behind West Virginia’s technology investments and provides visibility and transparency; charging the WVOT’s Project Management Office with overseeing technology projects exceeding $250,000; and codifying an advisory committee (previously enacted through an executive order) made up of representatives from various departments to provide advice and make recommendations, with the CIO as the chair.

According to Spence, technology has become a critical component of government, a role likely to only become larger. He said this law moves the state in the right direction of ensuring West Virginia not only invests in technology but makes the right tech investments.

The revised law went into effect July 7, 2021, and the enrolled version of the bill can be found online at https://bit.ly/3grrzkr.​

Contact:

Samantha Knapp
(304) 558-7022
samantha.s.knapp@wv.gov