Connecticut 2021 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06647 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 06/04/2021

                     
Researcher: JS 	Page 1 	6/4/21 
 
 
 
OLR Bill Analysis 
sHB 6647 (as amended by House "A")*  
 
AN ACT CONCERNING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS.  
 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the following entities: 
1. a Geographic Information Systems Office (GISO) within the 
Office of Policy and Management (OPM) with a geographic 
information officer position to oversee the new office and its 
staff (§ 1) and 
2. a Geographic Information Systems Advisory Council (GIS 
Council) to consult with the information officer on geographic 
information system (GIS) matters, including making GIS data 
free and publicly available (§ 2). 
The officer is generally responsible for coordinating the collection, 
analysis, and accessibility of GIS data. The bill additionally makes the 
officer, or the officer’s designee, a nonvoting member of the 
Connecticut Data Analysis Technology Advisory Board (§ 3).  
*House Amendment “A” explicitly establishes a new office within 
OPM referenced in the underlying bill and modifies the information 
officer’s role on the GIS Council; it additionally makes the information 
officer a non-voting member of the Connecticut Data Analysis 
Technology Advisory Board and modifies the eligibility requirements 
for voting members.    
EFFECTIVE DATE:  October 1, 2021 
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATI ON OFFICE AND OFFICER  
The bill requires the OPM secretary to designate an employee to 
serve as a geographic information officer and to oversee the new GISO 
and its staff.    2021HB-06647-R01-BA.DOCX 
 
Researcher: JS 	Page 2 	6/4/21 
 
The bill requires the information officer to have (1) extensive 
knowledge of GIS and spatial data, analysis, and related technology 
and (2) experience in project management, administration, policy 
development, coordinating services, and planning.  
Under the bill, the information officer must establish goals for the 
office in conjunction with the GIS Council established by the bill. The 
goals must be within the scope of the officer’s powers and duties, 
which are to: 
1. coordinate the collection and compilation of GIS data and 
disseminate it to state, local, and regional governmental entities 
and others across the state; 
2. manage a geospatial data clearinghouse that is publicly 
accessible online through the Connecticut Open Data Portal; 
3. support economic development efforts by making its data 
accessible; 
4. provide training and outreach on its data; 
5. administer the creation and acquisition of geospatial data, 
including aerial imagery and elevation and parcel information; 
6. adopt geospatial data standards, guidelines, and procedures to 
ensure data consistency and quality; and 
7. aggregate and organize existing data sets and create new ones. 
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATI ON SYSTEMS ADVISORY COUNCIL  
Purpose  
The bill establishes a GIS Council to consult with the GISO 
information officer on free and public GIS data matters (e.g., its 
procurement, storage, and distribution) and OPM’s powers and duties 
regarding geospatial information systems under existing law (CGS § 
4d-90).   
The council must also (1) develop priorities, (2) annually create a  2021HB-06647-R01-BA.DOCX 
 
Researcher: JS 	Page 3 	6/4/21 
 
five-year plan, and (3) make recommendations on the priorities and 
plan to the GISO information officer.  
Membership  
Under the bill, the task force consists of fourteen members:  
1. the GISO information officer, or the officer’s designee, who 
serves as the task force’s chairperson;  
2. the chief data officer, or the officer’s designee; 
3. four representatives with GIS expertise, one each appointed by 
the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 
Department of Transportation, Department of Emergency 
Services and Public Protection, and Department of Public 
Health commissioners;  
4. two representatives from different regional councils of 
government who have GIS and certain related expertise, 
appointed by the Connecticut Association of Councils of 
Governments chairperson; 
5. two representatives from different municipalities who are 
members of the Connecticut GIS network and have GIS 
expertise, appointed by the Connecticut Conference of 
Municipalities president;  
6. one University of Connecticut representative who has certain 
experience providing the state’s geospatial information to 
various constituencies, appointed by the university president;  
7. one public utility company representative, appointed by the 
Public Utility Regulatory Authority chairperson; and  
8. two representatives from private companies (other than public 
utility companies) who have commercial mapping expertise, 
one jointly appointed by the Planning and Development 
Committee chairpersons and one by the ranking members.   2021HB-06647-R01-BA.DOCX 
 
Researcher: JS 	Page 4 	6/4/21 
 
The bill sets members’ terms at two years, or until a qualified 
successor is appointed. Appointing authorities must make initial 
appointments by January 1, 2022, subsequent appointments 
biannually, and fill vacancies. By March 1, 2022, and at least every two 
years thereafter, the chairperson must convene an advisory council 
meeting.  
CONNECTICUT DATA ANA LYSIS TECHNOLOGY ADV ISORY 
BOARD 
The bill makes the GISO information officer, or the officer’s 
designee, a non-voting member of the Connecticut Data Analysis 
Technology Board (i.e., a board within the Legislative Department that 
may, among other things, advise the three branches of state 
government and municipalities on data policy). Existing law specifies 
that the eight voting members must have professional experiences or 
academic qualifications in data analysis, management, or policy or 
related fields. The bill adds that they may qualify based on their 
experience or qualification in GIS. 
COMMITTEE ACTION 
Planning and Development Committee 
Joint Favorable 
Yea 25 Nay 1 (03/31/2021) 
 
Appropriations Committee 
Joint Favorable 
Yea 33 Nay 16 (05/10/2021)