Department of Information Technology (CGS § 4d-2)

• The Department of Information Technology (DOIT) consists of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Business Development, Security, Network and Distributed Systems, Operations, and Architecture and Standards Divisions.

• The CIO serves at the pleasure of the governor with a term ending March 1 following the next gubernatorial election. Either house of the General Assembly confirms.

• DOIT administers the state's Internet portal and provides training to state agencies. The CIO is statutorily responsible for several information and telecommunication systems functions, including:

1. developing and implementing state agency information technology policies;

2. developing comprehensive standards and planning guidelines for information and telecommunication systems;

3. identifying and implementing telecommunication systems to efficiently service state agencies and opportunities for reducing costs associated with such systems;

4. approving or disapproving, with some exceptions, state agency acquisition of hardware and software;

5. approving or disapproving all state agency requests or proposed contracts for information and telecommunication systems consultants; and

6. leasing, purchasing, and contracting for information system and telecommunications facilities for most state agencies.

QUESTIONS

1. Is the department, as currently structured and administered, able to meet its statutory duties and responsibilities?

2. What is your view of the department's relationships with other state agencies? How successful is the state's information technology infrastructure in supporting executive branch agencies?

3. One of DOIT's major strategic plan objectives is to develop and execute an e-government strategy. In the agency's December 2006 News and Service Bulletin you stressed the importance of providing increased online government services and transactions to Connecticut residents and noted that DOIT is working to address infrastructure and network requirements to position the state for e-government applications. What is DOIT doing to meet the infrastructure and network needs? What is the timeline for the strategy?

4. Regarding the e-government strategy, what are the expanded online applications you envision? Do you have agreement from other state agencies? If so, which ones and how are you collaborating?

5. In June 2006 DOIT began working with the U. S. Department of Justice to link Connecticut's sex offender registry to the national database. What is that status?

6. DOIT's mainframe hosts the state's most critical financial, public safety, and human service systems, Core-CT, and systems associated with HIPPA-impacted agencies. Over the last few years the agency has tested mainframe disaster recovery procedures. What are the lessons learned from the tests?

7. Cyber security is a top concern. In 2005 DOIT launched www. CT. gov/cybersafe as a resource for citizens to learn about internet safety and security on the internet. How successful has the site been in achieving its goals?

8. How do you reconcile efforts at information sharing among state, municipal, and federal governments with individuals' privacy concerns?

9. Are state websites totally accessible to people with disabilities? Does DOIT work with the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities to address complaints regarding accessibility?

KS: ts