Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 480 of the Regular Session
*LJH074* 03-11-2025 10:02:06 LJH074
State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/11/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1557 3
4
By: Representative R. Scott Richardson 5
By: Senator J. Bryant 6
7
For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE DIVISION 9
OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS CONCERNING INFORMATION 10
TECHNOLOGY; TO AMEND THE DEFINITIONS UNDER THE 11
ARKANSAS CODE RELATED TO THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION 12
SYSTEMS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
14
15
Subtitle 16
TO AMEND THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE 17
DIVISION OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 18
CONCERNING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. 19
20
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 21
22
SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 25 -4-103(6), concerning the definition of 23
"information technology" as it applies to the Division of Information 24
Systems, is amended to read as follows: 25
(6) “Information technology” means any component related to 26
information processing and wired and wireless telecommunications, including 27
data processing and telecommunications hardware, software, services, 28
planning, personnel, facilities, and training the use, development, 29
management, and application of computer systems, networks, and electronic 30
data processing to collect, store, process, transmit, retrieve, and secure 31
information and includes without limitation: 32
(1) Hardware; 33
(2) Software; 34
(3) Networking and telecommunications; 35
(4) Data management; 36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 HB1557
2 03-11-2025 10:02:06 LJH074
(5) Cybersecurity; 1
(6) Privacy; 2
(7) Third-party hosting; and 3
(8) Emerging technology ; 4
5
SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 25 -4-105(a)(2)(R), concerning the 6
development of a state information technology plan by the Division of 7
Information Systems, is amended to read as follows: 8
(R) Developing a state information technology plan that 9
shall establish a state -level mission, goals, and objectives for the use of 10
information technology Developing, implementing, and maintaining a unified 11
biennial statewide information technology plan through analysis of 12
information technology plans developed by each state agency that includes: 13
(i) A statewide disaster recovery plan that 14
identifies risks in each budget unit and directs state agencies to adopt risk 15
mitigation strategies, methods, and procedures to minimize risks; 16
(ii) A list of approved state agency projects by 17
category; 18
(iii) A detailed list of information technology 19
assets that are owned, leased, or employed by the state; and 20
(iv) Detailed budget information for each state 21
agency's approved technology plan ; 22
23
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 25, Chapter 4, is amended to add an 24
additional section to read as follows: 25
25-4-130. Statewide information technology — Duties and powers. 26
(a) In addition to the duties under § 25 -4-105, the Division of 27
Information Systems shall: 28
(1) Administer the state's information technology; 29
(2) Provide statewide project management for any information 30
technology projects, including without limitation procedures for the: 31
(A) Assessment of viability, operational efficiencies, and 32
cost-benefit analysis of a proposed project; 33
(B) Determination of whether a joint project or system is 34
appropriate, including without limitation: 35
(i) Methods for the approval and prioritization of 36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 HB1557
3 03-11-2025 10:02:06 LJH074
projects that aim to eliminate duplicative and overlapping services and 1
maximize information technology cost savings; and 2
(ii) Publication to each state agency of an annual 3
priority standards list that each project will be evaluated against for 4
approval; 5
(3)(A) Establish and enforce statewide minimum mandatory 6
standards for information technology that apply to all state agencies, 7
including without limitation executive departments. 8
(B) The standards of a state agency may be more stringent 9
than the statewide minimum standards, but in no case less than the minimum 10
standards. 11
(C) When federal standards apply that are stricter than 12
statewide minimum standards, the federal standards shall apply; 13
(4) Develop performance reporting guidelines and requirements 14
for information technology systems and conduct an annual review to compare 15
state agency plans and budgets with results and expenditures; 16
(5) Establish a centralized information technology governance 17
model to provide uniformity and procurement oversight for information 18
technology across state agencies, including without limitation: 19
(A) Defining clear roles, responsibilities, and decision -20
making authority at the state and department levels; 21
(B) Creation of an information technology governance team 22
to prioritize initiatives and allocate resources effectively; 23
(C) Identifying areas for cost reduction by eliminating 24
duplication of efforts and procurement of information technology; and 25
(D) Increasing the state's purchasing power by negotiating 26
enterprise pricing for information technology; and 27
(6) Provide a report on the statewide information technology 28
plan and projects annually to the Joint Committee on Advanced Communications 29
and Information Technology that includes without limitation: 30
(A) Overall metrics for system performance costs; 31
(B) A comparison of expected costs to actual costs after 32
project completion; 33
(C) User satisfaction analysis; and 34
(D) A project approval matrix for the next following 35
fiscal year. 36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 HB1557
4 03-11-2025 10:02:06 LJH074
(b) A state agency shall not: 1
(1) Use state, federal, or public grant funds for or enter into 2
any agreement for the acquisition, development, or enhancement of any 3
information technology or any contract for information technology services 4
without approval from the Director of the Division of Information Systems 5
unless: 6
(A) The purchase price of the product or service is less 7
than or equal to five thousand dollars ($5,000) and the product is included 8
on an approved information technology list maintained by the division; or 9
(B) The purchase price of the product or service is more 10
than five thousand dollars ($5,000) but less than or equal to twenty thousand 11
dollars ($20,000), the product is listed on a statewide contract, and the 12
product is included on an approved information technology list maintained by 13
the division; or 14
(2) Develop or enter into a contract for the development of 15
customized software or information technology systems without written 16
authorization by the director. 17
18
/s/R. Scott Richardson 19
20
21
APPROVED: 4/8/25 22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36