A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO provide for DEVELOPment of AN ENTERPRISE APPROACH TO THE STATE'S ABILITY TO EFFICIENTLY RETRIEVE AND SHARE DATA AND INFORMATION IN STATE GOVERNMENT; ENABLe STATE LEADERS, POLICYMAKERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS TIMELY, COMPLETE, AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENTAL AND PROGRAMMATIC OPERATIONS; and ENHANCe THE ABILITY TO BETTER IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND ISSUES AND TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, advances in North Carolina State government's information technology capabilities are vitally important for effectively and efficiently meeting the needs of the State's rapidly growing population; and
Whereas, by improving the capacity of State agencies and units of those agencies, as well as local governments, to readily access and share vital information, the State and local governments can achieve greater effectiveness and substantial financial savings in operations, rapidly recovering the investment necessary to accomplish this initiative; and
Whereas, with improved access to timely, complete, and accurate information the members of the General Assembly and leadership in State agencies can enhance their abilities to make the best policy and operational decisions on behalf of the people of the State, with fewer decisions based on instinct or guesswork; and
Whereas, through this initiative, State leaders, whether at the Legislature or within the Executive Branch, can have greater insight into the performance of State agencies, the effectiveness of State programs, and the true cost and benefits of implementing and maintaining State projects; and
Whereas, as a compass assists in finding direction, improved access to information across State government will assist State leaders in obtaining the necessary information quickly in order to determine best direction for the State and its people; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Office of State Controller in cooperation with the State Chief Information Officer shall by January 31, 2008, develop a comprehensive plan for the integration of databases and the sharing of information among State agencies, operations, and programs. This plan shall be developed and implemented under the governance of the BEACON Project Steering Committee and in cooperation and in communication with leadership within the several State agencies, and with the support and cooperation of the Office of State Budget and Management, and shall set forth a schedule of implementation to be completed no later than the year 2010.  This schedule of implementation shall commence no later than January 31, 2008, with the integration of databases that the BEACON PCS identify as most crucial to the enhancement of operations and effectiveness, focusing on two or three State agencies that can achieve the greatest initial benefit from implementation. 
While it is the intent that this initiative provides a broad new access to information across State government, the plan shall comply with all necessary security measures and restrictions to ensure that access to any specific information held confidential under federal and State law shall be limited to appropriate and authorized persons.
By January 31, 2008, the Office of the State Controller, with the support of the State's Chief Information Officer, shall provide this comprehensive plan including implementation schedule in an oral report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and in a written report to the Chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, the Chairs of the Senate Information Technology Committee and House Science and Technology Committee, and the Fiscal Research Division.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the NC Enterprise IT Fund the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year for the purpose of accomplishing the implementation of business analytics and database integration across State agencies as identified in Section 1 of this act, and shall be used for no other purpose.  The Office of State Controller, in coordination with State agencies and with the support of the Office of State Budget and Management, shall identify and obtain any federal matching funds or other funding sources available to assist in funding this initiative.
SECTION 3.  The Office of State Controller shall provide a written report of the plan's implementation progress, including benefits and return on investment analysis as identified by the Office of State Budget and Management to the Chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, the Chairs of the Senate Information Technology Committee and House Science and Technology Committee, and Fiscal Research Division no later than the date the convening of the 2008 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SECTION 4.  The Compass Initiative funds shall be used to integrate databases by leveraging the BEACON project which has prototyped data integration software.  The Compass Initiative should expand upon the existing statewide enterprise license for data integration in order to take advantage of best practices learned from the BEACON project as well as the enterprise licensing cost reductions and efficiencies. Funds may also be used to retain project management support. This effort shall not place any new or additional requirements upon The University of North Carolina or the North Carolina Community College System.
SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.