California Code
CHAPTER 5.6 - Department of Technology
Section 11545.

11545. (a) (1) There is in state government the Department of Technology within the Government Operations Agency. The Director of Technology shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation. The Director of Technology shall supervise the Department of Technology and report directly to the Governor on issues relating to information technology.

(2) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, whenever the term “office of the State Chief Information Officer” or “California Technology Agency” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, or any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Department of Technology, and whenever the term “State Chief Information Officer” or “Secretary of California Technology” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, or any other code, it shall be construed to refer to the Director of Technology.

(3) The Director of Technology shall be the State Chief Information Officer.

(b) The duties of the Director of Technology shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Advising the Governor on the strategic management and direction of the state’s information technology resources.

(2) Establishing and enforcing state information technology strategic plans, policies, standards, and enterprise architecture. This shall include the periodic review and maintenance of the information technology sections of the State Administrative Manual and procurement procedures related to information technology projects, except for sections on information technology fiscal policy. The Director of Technology shall consult with the Director of General Services, the Director of Finance, and other relevant agencies concerning policies and standards these agencies are responsible to issue that relate to information technology.

(3) Minimizing overlap, redundancy, and cost in state information technology operations by promoting the efficient and effective use of information technology.

(4) Providing technology direction to agency and department chief information officers to ensure the integration of statewide technology initiatives, compliance with information technology policies and standards, and the promotion of the alignment and effective management of information technology services. This paragraph does not limit the authority of a constitutional officer, cabinet agency secretary, or department director to establish programmatic priorities and business direction to the respective agency or department chief information officer.

(5) Working to improve organizational maturity and capacity in the effective management of information technology.

(6) Establishing performance management and improvement processes to ensure state information technology systems and services are efficient and effective.

(7) Approving, suspending, terminating, and reinstating information technology projects.

(8) Performing enterprise information technology functions and services, including, but not limited to, implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), shared services, applications, and program and project management activities in partnership with the owning agency or department.

(c) (1) The department may provide GIS data to a regional notification center, as defined in subdivision (q) of Section 4216, as provided to a state agency in accordance with this chapter, for the purposes of a regional notification center carrying out its duties pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 4216) of Chapter 3.1 of Division 5 of Title 1.

(2) The department shall collect payment from a regional notification center to cover its reasonable costs for providing GIS data pursuant to this subdivision. Funds collected pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited into the Technology Services Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 11544.

(3) A state agency shall not be liable to a regional notification center or other third party for providing GIS data pursuant to this subdivision.

(d) The Director of Technology shall produce an annual information technology strategic plan that shall guide the acquisition, management, and use of information technology. State agencies shall cooperate with the department in the development of this plan, as required by the Director of Technology.

(1) Upon establishment of the information technology strategic plan, the Director of Technology shall take all appropriate and necessary steps to implement the plan, subject to any modifications and adjustments deemed necessary and reasonable.

(2) The information technology strategic plan shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by January 15 of every year.

(e) The Director of Technology shall produce an annual information technology performance report that shall assess and measure the state’s progress toward enhancing its information technology program for human capital management; reducing and avoiding costs and risks associated with the acquisition, development, implementation, management, and operation of information technology assets, infrastructure, and systems; improving energy efficiency in the use of information technology assets; enhancing the security, reliability, and quality of information technology networks, services, and systems; and improving the information technology procurement process. This report shall also include cost savings and avoidances achieved through improvements to the way the state acquires, develops, implements, manages, and operates state technology assets, infrastructure, and systems. The department shall establish those policies and procedures required to improve the performance of the state’s information technology program.

(1) The department shall maintain an information technology performance management framework that includes the performance measures and targets that the department will utilize to assess the performance of, and measure the costs and risks avoided by, the state’s information technology program.

(2) State agencies shall take all necessary steps to achieve the targets set forth by the department and shall report their progress to the department on a quarterly basis.

(3) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the information technology performance report shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, including any changes, by January 15 of every year. To enhance transparency, the department shall post performance targets and progress toward these targets on its public internet website.

(f) If the Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 2012 becomes effective, this section shall prevail over Section 186 of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 2012, regardless of the dates on which this section and that plan take effect, and this section shall become operative on July 1, 2013.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 494, Sec. 1. (AB 754) Effective January 1, 2020.)