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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4781 FILED ON: 1/9/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4242
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
STATE HOUSE · BOSTON, MA 02133
(617) 725-4000
MAURA T. HEALEY
GOVERNOR
KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
January 9, 2024
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,
I am pleased to submit for your consideration an Act to Provide for the Future
Information Technology needs of Massachusetts, also referred to as “The FutureTech Act of
2024” to fund critical information technology capital needs.
The Commonwealth’s current Information Technology bond authorization is expected to
be exhausted in Fiscal Year 2025, just as we approach the crossroads of multiple large,
transformative projects that will harden our cybersecurity posture, support IT capital efficiencies
at the secretariat and agency levels, greatly enhance the digital user experience to bring state
government information and services to our residents, and contemplate the future of AI-
augmented service provision. In light of this expected need for new authorization, the Executive
Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) Office of Capital Planning, in coordination
with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F), undertook an assessment of
the executive branch IT capital project needs over the next five years. This bill is the result of
this thorough, collaborative process. .
The legislation I propose today will provide $1.23 billion in capital bond authorization to
support current and future technology needs over the next five years, in addition to $400 million
in authorization to spend anticipated future federal funding for major Health and Human
Services business application projects. Details on some of the bill’s key initiatives are listed
below.
Investing in Government Efficiency
• $120 million to support the Business Enterprise Systems Transformation (BEST)
within the Office of the Comptroller to implement business process improvements, streamline 2 of 3
state administrative workflow, and offer agencies the technology, training, and tools to access
required data and meet daily business needs on a real-time basis.
• $110 million to support the Commonwealth Digital Roadmap, which seeks to
standardize the user experience across state agencies with a single identity that proactively points
users to relevant information and services. To date, the Identity Access Management (IAM)
single sign-on has amassed over 1 million users around the state. Building out this platform to
add more applications and launching new lines of constituent communication through live chat,
SMS and chatbot services will promote increased adoption and interoperability of the platform:
as it scales it becomes more useful to users.
• $30 million to modernize medical health records hosted by the Executive Office
of Health and Human Services to facilitate more efficient, secure health record management.
• $15 million to support the Integrated Digital Data Services (IDDS) project within
the Executive Office of Education (EOE). This project moves EOE data that it currently holds in
many different places onto cloud services, and creates a secure, standardized platform that
provides more timely and useful educational information to educators, administrators, and the
public.
Investing in Service Access and Equity
• $52 million to support the continued rollout of the Employment Modernization
Transformation (EMT), a project which, when complete, will provide both employers and those
seeking unemployment insurance with a new portal to conduct state-facing employment
activities, and facilitate a streamlined claims process for uploading information with a mobile-
friendly design and increased accessibility features, making it easier to apply for unemployment
assistance.
• $13 million to support the Enhanced Student Financial Aid Access project, which
will simplify the financial aid discovery and application process, enhance accessibility, and
facilitate higher college-going rates for Massachusetts residents, ensuring the Commonwealth
fulfills the vision for having one of the most equitable and effective higher education systems in
the nation.
• $12 million to support the Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA)
Modernization project, which will update the business processes within CCFA to align with an
updated user experience and replace or update the core technology systems managing the
waitlist, application and eligibility determination, and payments. Updating the overall user
experience will reduce barriers to families seeking assistance from the Commonwealth, ease
administrative burdens on child care providers, and create greater operational efficiencies for the
Department of Early Education and Care
• $10 million to support the Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment program within
the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS). This program eliminates duplicative 3 of 3
documentation while streamlining the application and onboarding processes for benefits
administered by HHS while making residents aware of overlapping eligibility for services.
Supporting Municipalities
• $30 million to support the Municipal Fiber Grant Program, a competitive grant
program that supports the closing of critical gaps that exist in municipal networks. Focused on
connecting municipality-owned facilities, the program assists municipalities in achieving many
critical goals associated with municipal fiber networks.
• $25 million for the Community Compact IT Grant Program, a competitive grant
program aimed at driving innovation at the local level available to any municipality that is part of
Community Compact Cabinet Initiative. The program supports the implementation of technology
projects that harness the power of IT to drive innovation, make government more efficient, save
taxpayer money, and make it easier for residents to interact and transact with their local
government.
Pioneering in Emerging Tech and Artificial Intelligence
• $25 million to support future AI projects that align with the Healey-Driscoll
Administration’s priorities.
Investing in Public Safety
• $5 million to fund the DOC Radio Modernization initiative which will upgrade
the utility and security of communications technologies within the Department of Correction.
• $3 million to fund the Criminal Justice360 cross-tracking system and dashboard,
empowering members of the public to view aggregated records from the Massachusetts
Department of Correction (DOC) and the Commonwealth’s fourteen County Sheriff’s Offices.
The FutureTech Act will strengthen the Commonwealth by ensuring that our executive
agencies and secretariats have the IT assets they need to deliver exceptional constituent services
and conduct business on behalf of the state in the most efficient, secure and transparent manner. I
urge you to enact this legislation as soon as possible to avoid the interruption of important
projects that can be completed for the benefit of the residents of the Commonwealth.
Respectfully submitted,
Maura T. Healey,
Governor 1 of 7
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4242
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act to provide for the future information technology needs of Massachusetts.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
provide forthwith for the information technology and security needs of the commonwealth and
deploy broadband access to the citizens of the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to
be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. To provide for a program of capital investments for information technology
2and data- and cyber-security improvements to various state programs, services, agencies,
3institutions and properties and to fund technology infrastructure, the sums set forth in sections
42A, 2B and 2C of this act, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this
5act, are hereby made available through December 31, 2030, subject to the laws regulating the
6disbursement of public funds, which sums shall be in addition to any other amounts previously
7appropriated for these purposes; provided, that the amounts specified for a particular project may
8be adjusted in order to facilitate projects authorized in this act.
9 SECTION 2A.
10 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND SECURITY 2 of 7
11 Office of the Secretary
12 1790-3014 For costs associated with initiatives, projects, and expenditures to make
13improvements to the quality, consistency, efficiency, and delivery of any service or program for
14the benefit of the public and the interactions between residents and state agencies and
15instrumentalities of the commonwealth, including but not limited to, planning and studies, the
16preparation of plans and specifications, purchase, procurement, acquisition, licensing and
17implementation of information technology, telecommunications and data-security-related
18equipment, hardware, software, systems, intellectual property and related projects for various
19state agencies of the commonwealth; provided, that for projects the secretary of administration
20and finance certifies to the comptroller directly or indirectly generate state revenue or budgetary
21savings, the comptroller shall transfer such revenue or budgetary savings to the state treasurer for
22payment of debt service related to those projects; provided further, that any federal
23reimbursement received by a state agency in connection with projects funded from this item may
24be retained by the state agency or the executive office of technology services and security and
25expended for the purposes of the project, without further appropriation, in addition to the
26amounts appropriated in this item…………………………………………………..$750,000,000
27 1790-3015 For costs associated with initiatives, projects, and expenditures to make
28improvements to the quality, consistency, efficiency, and delivery of any service or program to
29support, improve, extend, secure, or maintain technology or telecommunications infrastructure,
30including but not limited to, planning and studies, the preparation of plans and specifications,
31purchase, procurement, acquisition, licensing and implementation of information technology,
32telecommunications and data-security-related equipment, hardware, software, systems,
33intellectual property and related projects for various state agencies of the commonwealth; 3 of 7
34provided, that for projects the secretary of administration and finance certifies to the comptroller
35directly or indirectly generate state revenue or budgetary savings, the comptroller shall transfer
36such revenue or budgetary savings to the state treasurer for payment of debt service related to
37those projects; provided further, that any federal reimbursement received by a state agency in
38connection with projects funded from this item may be retained by the state agency or the
39executive office of technology services and security and expended for the purposes of the
40project, without further appropriation, in addition to the amounts appropriated in this
41item…………………………………………………………………………………$200,000,000.
42 1790-3016 For costs associated with planning and studies, the preparation of plans and
43specifications, purchase, procurement, acquisition, licensing and implementation of information
44technology, telecommunications and data-security-related equipment, hardware, software,
45systems, intellectual property and related projects for various state agencies and public
46instrumentalities of the commonwealth to mitigate, avoid, or respond to risks to the security of
47the commonwealth’s technology and telecommunications infrastructure or operations; provided,
48that for projects the secretary of administration and finance certifies to the comptroller directly or
49indirectly generate state revenue or budgetary savings, the comptroller shall transfer such
50revenue or budgetary savings to the state treasurer for payment of debt service related to those
51projects; provided further, that any federal reimbursement received by a state agency in
52connection with projects funded from this item may be retained by the state agency or the
53executive office of technology services and security and expended for the purposes of the
54project, without further appropriation, in addition to the amounts appropriated in this
55item……….………………………………………………………………………$200,000,000. 4 of 7
56 1790-3017 For costs associated with planning and studies, the preparation of plans and
57specifications, purchase, procurement, acquisition, licensing and implementation of information
58technology, telecommunications and data-security-related equipment, hardware, software,
59systems, intellectual property and related projects for various state agencies of the
60commonwealth including, but not limited to, executing strategic initiatives, improving business
61intelligence, and modernizing governmental functions; provided, that for projects the secretary of
62administration and finance certifies to the comptroller directly or indirectly generate state
63revenue or budgetary savings, the comptroller shall transfer such revenue or budgetary savings to
64the state treasurer for payment of debt service related to those projects; provided further, that any
65federal reimbursement received by a state agency in connection with projects funded from this
66item may be retained by the state agency or the executive office of technology services and
67security and expended for the purposes of the project, without further appropriation, in addition
68to the amounts appropriated in this item……………………………………………$250,000,000.
69 SECTION 2B.
70 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
71 Office of the Secretary
72 1100-2519 For costs associated with initiatives, projects and expenditures to the quality,
73efficiency and delivery of any service or program for the benefit of the public and the
74interactions between residents and state agencies and instrumentalities of the commonwealth
75including but not limited to, planning and studies, the preparation of plans and specifications,
76purchase, procurement, acquisition, licensing and implementation of artificial intelligence and
77machine learning systems for the various state agencies of the commonwealth, provided that 5 of 7
78such initiatives, projects and expenditures are in accordance with enterprise security policies and
79other applicable administrative directives issued under section 3 of chapter 7D of the General
80Laws and approved by the executive office of technology services and security; provided further
81that for projects the secretary of administration and finance certifies to the comptroller directly or
82indirectly generate state revenue or budgetary savings, the comptroller shall transfer such
83revenue or budgetary savings to the state treasurer for payment of debt service related to those
84projects; provided further, that any federal reimbursement received by a state agency in
85connection with projects funded from this item may be retained by the state agency or the
86executive office of technology services and security and expended for the purposes of this
87project, without further appropriation, in addition to the amounts appropriated in this
88item…………………………………………………………………………………$25,000,000.
89 1599-1953 For a competitive, matching grant program to be administered by the
90executive office for administration and finance, in consultation with the secretary of technology
91services and security, to assist municipalities with the construction of fiber broadband
92infrastructure and related projects and expenditures; provided, that priority for grants shall be
93given to completely unserved premises located in a municipality…………………$30,000,000.
94 SECTION 2C.
95 EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
96 Office of the Secretary
97 1100-2518 For capital funding for eligible cities, towns, regional organizations whose
98membership is exclusively composed of municipal governments, tribes, local governmental
99agencies, authorities or subdivisions, quasi-state agencies, public authorities and institutions, and 6 of 7
100similar governmental agencies, for purposes including but not limited to address threats to
101information systems, manage and reduce systemic risk, improve security of critical technology
102infrastructure, and improve resilience; provided, further that investments may include, but not be
103limited to, planning and studies, improving government efficiency and effectiveness, preparation
104of plans and specifications, asset modernization, information technology equipment, and
105technical assistance.………………………………………………………………..$150,000,000.
106 Department of Revenue
107 1201-0003 For the division of local services within the department of revenue, for grants
108to carry out the community compact information technology grant program established in
109conjunction with executive order 554………………………………………………$25,000,000.
110 SECTION 3. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
111is hereby amended by inserting after section 2DDDDDD the following section:-
112 Section 2EEEEEE. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the
113commonwealth a separate, non-budgeted special revenue fund known as the Information
114Technology Federal Reimbursement Fund, which shall be administered by the secretary of
115technology services and security. The secretary shall expend money in the fund for information
116technology projects related to the Commonwealth’s health and human services. There shall be
117credited to the fund: (i) amounts equal to any federal financial participation revenues claimed
118and received by the commonwealth for eligible expenditures made from this fund or from
119eligible expenditures made in direct connection with eligible expenditures made from this fund;
120and (ii) interest earned on any money in the fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall be
121expended without further appropriation. 7 of 7
122 (b) To accommodate timing discrepancies between the receipt of revenue and related
123expenditures, the comptroller may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the most recent
124revenue estimates as certified by the secretary to be transferred, credited or deposited under this
125section. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General
126Fund and shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years.
127 SECTION 4. To meet the expenditures necessary to carry out sections 2A and
1282B, the state treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the
129commonwealth in an amount to be specified by the governor from time to time, but not
130exceeding, in the aggregate, $1,055,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth under this
131section shall be designated on their face, “FutureTech Act of 2024,” and shall be issued for a
132maximum term of years, not exceeding 10 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
133court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
134shall be payable not later than June 30, 2039.
135 SECTION 5. To meet the expenditures necessary to carry out section 2C, the state
136treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
137amount to be specified by the governor from time to time, but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
138$175,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth under this section shall be designated on
139their face, "FutureTech Act of 2024”, and shall be issued for a maximum term of years, not
140exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general court under section 3 of
141Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds shall be payable not later
142than June 30, 2059.