S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7158
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 10, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT creating a task force on information services technology develop-
   ment to develop policies that will benefit residents of New York state
   by fostering  the  free  market  development  and  beneficial  use  of
   advanced  communications  networks  and  information technologies, and
   providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the devel-
 opment  of  policies that foster the free market development and benefi-
 cial use of advanced communications networks and  information  technolo-
 gies  is  of  great  importance to the residents of New York state.  The
 legislature further finds that this can  best  be  accomplished  by  the
 creation of a task force on information services technology development.
   §  2.  Task  force on information services technology development. The
 secretary of state is hereby directed to create a task force on informa-
 tion services technology development. The objectives of such task  force
 shall be to:
   (a)  promote  the development of a framework that will ensure that New
 York state has an aggressive information technology (IT) economic devel-
 opment process that focuses on creating, retaining,  and  recruiting  IT
 companies  under circumstances which foster technological and knowledge-
 based innovations, entrepreneurship, and investment  in  a  trained  and
 skilled  workforce;  to  increase  national,  international,  and global
 awareness of New York as an environment ideally suited for the  success-
 ful advancement of the information technology business sector;
   (b)  promote  the development of strategies to ensure that K-12 educa-
 tional institutions develop policies and programs that  promote  techno-
 logical innovation and improve education in order to enhance the state's

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11098-01-9
              

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 innovative  capacity  and  create  a  more productive citizenry that can
 navigate, adapt, and prosper in the information economy;
   (c) promote the development of strategies to assist educational insti-
 tutions in establishing policies and programs that will produce a highly
 skilled  IT  workforce, and encourage public/private partnerships in the
 development of IT curriculum, research, funding, and training;
   (d) promote the development of policy recommendations to  ensure  that
 New  York's  public  and  private sectors will focus on bridging the gap
 between the information-rich and the information-poor in order to foster
 equal access to IT for all New Yorkers;
   (e) promote the development of strategies to  ensure  that  government
 institutions  use technology to increase the quality and cost-effective-
 ness of their services, while also fostering broader use of  information
 technologies  among  and  between  residents  and businesses.   Also, to
 promote the development of policies which ensure that government  serves
 as a catalyst for advancing the digital economy by refocusing government
 procurement power, and provide a critical mass of digital services;
   (f)  evaluate  laws, rules, and procedures to ensure that they facili-
 tate, or at least do not  hinder,  the  growth  of  electronic  commerce
 (eCommerce);
   (g)  evaluate  whether  laws, rules, and procedures should be created,
 amended or repealed to reflect the impact of eCommerce on our state  and
 to foster the growth of eCommerce while protecting consumer rights; and
   (h)  promote  the  development of policies to ensure that New York has
 sufficient communications infrastructure and high bandwidth capacity  to
 support  our growing information economy; to evaluate the sufficiency of
 New York IT research and development centers to ensure that New York  is
 creating  an environment that continuously develops new technologies and
 applications.
   § 3. Composition. The task force shall consist of thirty-one  members.
 The  task  force  shall  include:  the  secretary of state, the attorney
 general, the commissioner of education,  the  chancellor  of  the  state
 university  of  New  York, the commissioner of economic development, the
 commissioner of general services, the director of the  division  of  the
 budget,  the executive director of the New York state office of science,
 technology and academic research; seven members shall  be  appointed  by
 the  governor,  one of whom the governor shall name as chair of the task
 force; seven members to be appointed by the temporary president  of  the
 senate; one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
 seven  members  to  be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and one
 member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. The seven
 members appointed by the governor shall include: a college  student  who
 relies on the Internet for personal or academic use; a representative of
 a  local  government  that is an alternative local exchange telecommuni-
 cations company or an Internet service provider;  and  four  persons  as
 determined by the governor to appropriately represent technology provid-
 ers, manufacturers, retailers, and users. The seven members appointed by
 the  temporary  president  of  the  senate  shall  represent each of the
 following categories:  a  facilities-based  inter-exchange  telecommuni-
 cations  company;  a wireless telecommunications company; an alternative
 local exchange telecommunications company; an Internet service  provider
 with  more  than  one  million  customers; the entertainment industry; a
 computer or telecommunications manufacturing company; and one member  of
 the  senate.  The seven members appointed by the speaker of the assembly
 shall represent each of the following  categories:  a  cable  television
 provider; a computer software company; the banking industry; an Internet

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 search  engine company; a local exchange telecommunications company; the
 tourist industry; and one member of the assembly. Vacancies on the  task
 force shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
   § 4. Report. The task force shall report its findings, conclusions and
 recommendations  to  the governor, temporary president of the senate and
 the speaker of the assembly by July 1 of calendar years 2020  and  2021.
 The  task  force  may develop and publish other documents throughout the
 year as it deems necessary and/or appropriate.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire  July  1,
 2021  when  upon  such  date  the provisions of this act shall be deemed
 repealed.