Senate Bill S6205A

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6205A

SPONSOR: OBERACKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state technology law, in relation to conducting an
examination and evaluation of New York state's information technology
infrastructure, data use and management, policies, procedures and opera-
tional processes; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon
the expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

To require a third-party examination of New York State's information
technology infrastructure, data use and management, policies, procedure,
and operational processes to identify deficiencies and provide recommen-
dations of how to address said deficiencies.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends section 103 of the state technology law by
adding subdivisions 22 and 23. Subdivision 22 directs the Office for
              

Information Technology Services to contract with a private firm that
specializes in conducting information technology audits to conduct an
examination and evaluation of New York State's information technology
infrastructure, applications, data use and management, policies, proce-
dures, and operational processes. This subdivision also specifies basic
parameters of such an evaluation and examination, specifically requires
an evaluation and examination of the information technology infrastruc-
ture, applications, data use and management, policies, procedures, and
operational processes of the departments of labor and health, and
directs the Office of Information Technology Services.to report their
findings on or before December 21, 2023. Subdivision 23 provides that
such an evaluation and examinations shall receive from any department,
division, board, commission, or other agency of the state any informa-
tion and resources necessary to carry out the responsibilities and
provisions set forth in subdivisions 22 of this section. of the bill '
the effective and repeal date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State has experienced multiple high-profile information tech-
nology failures since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  During a
time when New Yorkers were hyper-reliant on technology to connect with
critical services and benefits, the State's systems failed. Desperate
individuals, who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, suffered
further when they were unable to access crucial benefits. Weeks and
months went by, yet the Department of Labor system was unable to handle
the demand and provide a user-friend:y experience. Those attempting to
apply for unemployment insurance benefits were met with a system that
repeatedly crashed or timed out before they could complete ;heir appli-
cations. This contributed to a backlog of applications as well as uncer-
tainty and tension among those in Leeds. Further, New York State's
vaccination appointment website crashed multiple times, was difficult to
use for many, and was far more limited than originally promised. As
individuals were being told to sign up for a COVID19 vaccination, they
were finding it overly difficult to complete the task. These failures
highlight a need for an experienced third party to work with the Office
for Information Technology Services to conduct a comprehensive evalu-
ation and examination of the State's information technology infrastruc-
ture, data use and management, policies, procedures, and operational
processes to identify deficiencies and provide recommendations of how to
address said deficiencies. Such an evaluation will provide the State wi
th a much-needed detailed blueprint that will lead to proactive improve-
ments to our information technology infrastructure. The ultimate goal is
to avoid future failures and accompanying personal hardships caused by
the State's faulty information technology systems highlighted during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed January 3, 2024