Create Tech Policy Task Force

Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the development of policies that foster the free market development and beneficial use of advanced communications networks and information technologies 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 information 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 development process that focuses on creating, retaining, and recruiting IT companies under circumstances which foster technological and knowledgebased 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 successful advancement of the information technology business sector;

(b) promote the development of strategies to ensure that K-12 educational institutions develop policies and programs that promote technological 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 institutions 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-effectiveness 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 facilitate, 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 telecommunications company or an Internet service provider; and four persons as determined by the governor to appropriately represent technology providers, 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 telecommunications 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.