Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Date:03/13/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:33 PM to 04:59 PM
Martinez Humenik
*
Newell
X
Place:HCR 0112
Singer
X
Tate
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Tyler
X
Senator Neville T.
Neville T.
X
This Report was prepared by
Matt Kiszka
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Discussion on Technology Accessibility
Update from OIT
Department of Revenue "Wait Less" Request
Other Business
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Recommend FY 2014-15 Budget Roll-Forward Authority

01:33 PM

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present.

01:34 PM -- Discussion on Technology Accessibility

Christine McGroarty and Jim Pilkington presented to the committee on technology accessibility for people with disabilities. Committee members received Attachments A, B, and C, which cover the presentation, goals, and a proposal to the General Assembly for technology accessibility, respectively. Ms. McGroarty discussed Section 24-85-104, C.R.S., which concerns information technology accessibility for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Ms. McGroarty said that she could not have done her job for the state of Colorado 20 years ago with past technology. Mr. Pilkington stated that his career has revolved around computers and technology, but that he did not know anything about accessibility until he became visually impaired later in life. He said that the general understanding of technology accessibility is very limited throughout the public and private sectors.

150313 AttachA.pdf150313 AttachA.pdf150313 AttachB.pdf150313 AttachB.pdf150313 AttachC.pdf150313 AttachC.pdf

01:41 PM

Ms. McGroarty discussed her experiences with technology accessibility in her job with the state and how the Colorado Operations Resource Engine (CORE) financial system operates for visually-impaired users. She discussed how a poorly planned upgrade to technology that does not take accessibility into consideration could cost the visually impaired their jobs. Mr. Pilkington described how accessibility software utilizes keyboard commands and a screen reader program to allow a visually-impaired user to operate various computer programs. He demonstrated the software to the committee. Ms. McGroarty stated that Microsoft Outlook has been designed to be accessible, whereas some Google applications have not, creating challenges for visually-impaired state employees.


01:49 PM

Ms. McGroarty and Mr. Pilkington proposed an update to statutes to introduce a requirement for the hiring of a technology accessibility coordinator position within the Office of Information Technology (OIT), a technology accessibility plan, and a technology accessibility advisory board. They noted that one of the problems of building accessibility into existing software is that retrofits can be challenging. They also highlighted the importance of awareness and training in the implementation of technology accessibility. Ms. McGroarty and Mr. Pilkington responded to questions on how many people would be affected by updates to technology accessibility, how many state software programs would be affected, if Adobe Acrobat provides accessibility to assist in the reading of PDF documents, and the opportunities for expanding technology accessibility statutes to address all types of disability. Committee discussion ensued on incorporating other disabilities into the technology accessibility statutes.

02:00 PM

Ms. McGroarty and Mr. Pilkington responded to questions related to the process of implementing changes to accessible technology within state government in Colorado. Discussion ensued on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission regarding efficiencies that could be gained by combining efforts to improve technology accessibility within state government. The committee discussed the need for an update to state law to further address technology accessibility.

02:09 PM -- Update from OIT

Suma Nallapati, Secretary of Technology and Chief Information Officer, and David McCurdy, Chief Technology Officer, OIT, came to the table to provide an update on OIT activities (Attachment D). Ms. Nallapati discussed OIT's top goals, which include an increase in service excellence, a reduction in information security risk, an increase in employee engagement, and adding 1,000 IT jobs in Colorado by the close of FY 2015-16. She discussed the cost avoidances achieved by the office, how customer satisfaction and employee success have increased at OIT, and OIT's ongoing initiatives. Ms. Nallapati responded to questions on OIT's goal of increased employee engagement, employee onboarding and training, payment delays that had been experienced by some councils through CORE, what OIT can do towards improving technology accessibility, and the status of the Department of Human Resources' Human Resources Information System project.

150313 AttachD.pdf150313 AttachD.pdf


02:34 PM

Mr. McCurdy discussed how OIT is working with Google applications to increase technology accessibility within the state and how the use of various Google websites by the state has been a general success. Mr. McCurdy and Ms. Nallapati responded to questions on the Google platforms that the state has been using, the cost savings that OIT has achieved in the past year, the IT jobs that OIT is creating within the state, and OIT's employee retention rate.
BILL:Update from OIT
TIME: 02:43:10 PM
MOVED:Tyler
MOTION:Convene an executive session pursuant to Section 24-6-402 (3)(a)(IV) to discuss the Confidential IT Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Test, and Technical Security Review by the Office of the State Auditor on the Governor’s Office of Information Technology.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Singer
Yes
Tate
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS
BILL:Update from OIT
TIME: 03:16:19 PM
MOVED:Tyler
MOTION:Adjourn the executive session and reconvene the regular public session of the committee meeting. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Martinez Humenik
Excused
Newell
Yes
Singer
Yes
Tate
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Neville T.
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:18 PM -- Department of Revenue "Wait Less" Request

The committee recessed.


03:20 PM

The committee returned to order.

Heather Copp, Deputy Executive Director, Department of Revenue (DOR), came to the table to present to the committee on the department's "Wait Less" request for roll-forward spending authority. A copy of the department's request, the Joint Budget Committee's (JBC) letter to the Joint Technology Committee (JTC) asking it to review the request, and a JTC staff write-up of the request were distributed to the committee (Attachment E). Ms. Copp explained the operating budget appropriation made in FY 2014-15 for $1,492,103 General Fund to expand the Wait Less queuing and data management technology to a total of 43 Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices throughout the state. The DOR is requesting that a footnote be added to the 2014 Long Bill to permit the continued availability of the FY 2014-15 funding in FY 2015-16 to complete the Wait Less project. Ms. Copp discussed the remaining offices in the state where the DOR believes it is necessary to implement the new system, how DOR will determine the cost of the project once it has chosen a vendor, and challenges experienced with existing Wait Less system installations in 15 DMV offices. She responded to questions on the costs associated with implementing the system in DMV offices, why existing Wait Less hardware needs to be replaced after a few years, if OIT was involved in the purchase process for previous Wait Less equipment, and what DOR plans to do with the equipment that is being replaced. The committee discussed its concerns with the department's request.

150313 AttachE.pdf150313 AttachE.pdf

03:32 PM

Ms. Copp responded to questions on the Wait Less project's design and analysis process, how Wait Less technology relates to DOR's FY 2015-16 DMV IT Systems Replacement budget request, if Wait Less kiosks assist in the management of DMV tasks, the percentage of renewals that the DMV is able to process online, opportunities to have customers use the DMV website rather than coming to an office, providing a list of the DMV offices addressed by the Wait Less project, and the ability of DMV offices to analyze client behavior between counties in order to optimize office operations. The committee discussed the merits of the department's request.

03:46 PM

Gary Lucas, Legislative Council Staff (LCS), came to the table to present the JTC staff analysis of DOR's Wait Less roll-forward request. Mr. Lucas discussed his concerns with the request for proposal (RFP) process for the project and why the department is replacing equipment that was only installed a few years ago. He discussed the necessity of the system replacement in light of the department's FY 2015-16 request for its IT Systems Replacement project. He responded to questions on the need to replace existing Wait Less equipment, if the individuals involved in the original purchase of the Wait Less equipment are still employed within the DOR, what makes the existing technology difficult to maintain, and the cost per DMV office for Wait Less system installation. The committee discussed the prior deployment of the Wait Less system and the need for the involvement of IT professionals in the purchasing process for state IT systems.

03:57 PM

Jessika Shipley, LCS, came to the table to discuss the JTC's options for action in its consideration of the department's operating budget request. Ms. Shipley explained that Mr. Lucas had recommended funding 31 of the 45 original offices that were part of the request, resulting in an amount that was less than the original request. Mr. Lucas responded to questions on why staff did not receive updated information on expected installation costs per DMV office. Matt Becker, LCS, explained why JBC staff did not recommend approving the department's request. The committee discussed the JTC staff recommendation to approve roll-forward authority for 31 DMV offices, the genesis of the Wait Less system request, and DMV needs for Wait Less kiosks.



04:09 PM

Ms. Copp discussed the business analysis and development process that the DOR performed for the latest Wait Less RFP that it issued and how DOR is still in the negotiation process for awarding this RFP. The committee discussed the state procurement process with Ms. Copp. Ms. Copp responded to a question on DMV wait time reduction goals, and discussed how DOR works with OIT when developing a project plan. Committee discussion of DMV wait times and customer management ensued.

04:19 PM

Ms. Copp responded to questions on the management of DMV offices and in how many new offices DOR intends to install the system by the end of 2015. Committee discussion ensued.

04:22 PM

Ms. Copp responded to questions on whether the existing systems in 15 DMV offices have been paid for and if the equipment is operational. The committee discussed the various recommendations it could make to the JBC and the needs of the DMV surrounding the Wait Less system.

04:38 PM

The committee discussed OIT's involvement in the planning process for state IT systems, the appropriate amount of funding for DOR to complete the project, and the limited cost information provided when considering DOR's request.
BILL:Other Business
TIME: 04:50:31 PM
MOVED:Newell
MOTION:Motion to recommend to the Joint Budget Committee to approve an add-on amendment to the 2014 Long Bill to provide roll-forward authority for the Department of Revenue’s Wait Less Expansion project for $1,075,700 General Fund. The motion passed on a vote of 3-2.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Martinez Humenik
Excused
Newell
Yes
Singer
Yes
Tate
No
Tyler
Yes
Neville T.
No
Final YES: 3 NO: 2 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:54 PM -- Other Business

Ms. Shipley came to the table to discuss the JTC's next meeting. Committee discussion ensued.


04:59 PM

The committee adjourned.