Bill Text: NJ S1955 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates task force to study feasibility of paperless State government.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-25 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1955 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1955-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Creates task force to study feasibility of paperless State government.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating a task force to study the feasibility of a paperless State government.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established a task force to study the feasibility of a paperless Executive Branch of State government.
b. The task force shall consist of 15 members as follows:
(1) the Secretary of State, who shall serve ex officio;
(2) the Director of the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell in the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, who shall serve ex officio;
(3) the Chief Technology Officer of the New Jersey Office of Information Technology, who shall serve ex officio;
(4) the Director of the New Jersey Division of Taxation, who shall serve ex officio;
(5) the Treasurer of the State of New Jersey, who shall serve ex officio;
(6) four public members who shall be appointed by the Governor, at least two of whom shall be from different political parties, including one representative with an expertise in voting and election law, one representative with an expertise in government information technology, one representative with an expertise in electronic transaction and management, and one representative with an expertise in cybersecurity;
(7) two public members appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Secretary of State, each of whom shall be of different political parties, at least one of whom shall have expertise in voting and elections;
(8) one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate, with an expertise in government information technology;
(9) one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, with an expertise in electronic transaction and management;
(10) one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader, with an expertise in
revenue collection; and
(11) one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Assembly Minority Leader, with an expertise in cybersecurity.
c. All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than the 45th day after the effective date of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The task force shall convene its first meeting within 30 days following the date on which the majority of its members have been appointed. The members shall elect one of the members to serve as chair and one of the members to serve as vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair shall not be of the same political party. The chair may appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the task force.
d. The task force shall meet at the call of the chair. A meeting of the task force may be called upon the request of eight members of the task force and eight members of the task force shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
e. The members of the task force, other than those serving ex officio, shall serve for the duration of the existence of the task force. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The task force members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that funds are available for that purpose.
f. The task force shall be entitled to the assistance and services of the employees of any State board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require, and as may be available to it for these purposes including, but not limited to, stenographic and clerical assistants within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
g. The Department of State shall assist the task force in the performance of its duties and provide the task force with studies, data, or other materials relevant to the purposes of the task force.
2. a. The purpose of the task force shall be to study the feasibility of a paperless system in the Executive Branch. At a minimum, the task force shall study the following:
(1) opportunities and risks associated with using electronic registrations and electronic transactions;
(2) different types of technology available for the State to develop a paperless system;
(3) cybersecurity protections and technology upgrades to State computer systems, networks, software, and hardware across all State-level departments, commissions, councils, boards, authorities, offices, and other agencies;
(4) any cost-benefit analysis concerning all needed technology upgrades;
(5) the cost-benefit analysis and feasibility of implementing paperless technology in the State and the best approach to finance the cost of implementation;
(6) how the Legislature can modify current State laws to support a secure paperless system;
(7) a summary of the benefits of a paperless system; and
(8) such other topics relative to a paperless system in the Executive Branch of State government.
b. The task force shall issue an interim report on its activities and progress to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within six months from the date of its first meeting. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the feasibility and logistics of a paperless system in the State government, a cost-benefit analysis concerning all needed technology upgrades, a summary of the benefits of a paperless system, network interoperability, any other information relevant to the subject of the report. The task force shall issue its final report within one year from the date of its first meeting. At a minimum, the final report shall provide updated information contained in the interim report, and any draft legislation the task force deems appropriate.
c. Following the issuance of its final report, the task force shall convene at the call of the chairperson to consider and respond to any written request submitted to it by a legislator or officer or employee of the Executive Branch of State government on any issue, item, or decision set forth in its report.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire six months after the issuance of the task force's final report.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a task force to study the feasibility of a paperless State government. The task force will consist of 15 members. The purpose of the task force will be to study the feasibility and logistics of a paperless system in the Executive branch of State government. At a minimum, the task force will study:
(1) the opportunities and risks associated with using electronic registration and electronic transactions;
(2) different types of technology available for the State to develop a paperless system;
(3) cybersecurity protections and technology upgrades to State computer systems, networks, software, and hardware across all State-level departments, commissions, councils, boards, authorities, offices, or other appropriate agencies;
(4) any cost-benefit analysis concerning all needed technology upgrades;
(5) a summary of the benefits of a paperless system;
(6) how the Legislature can modify current State laws to support a secure paperless system;
(7) the feasibility of implementing a paperless system in the State and the best approach to finance the cost of implementing a paperless system; and
(8) such other topics relative to a paperless system in State government.
The task force will issue an interim report on its activities and progress to the Governor and the Legislature within six months from the date of its first meeting. The task force will issue its final report within one year from the date of its first meeting. Following the issuance of its final report, the task force will convene at the call of the chairperson to consider and respond to any written request submitted to it by a legislator or officer or employee of the Executive branch of State government on any issue, item, or decision set forth in its report. The task force will expire six months after the issuance of the task force's final report.
