Skip to main content
Colorado General AssemblyToggle Main Menu
Agency NameToggle Agency Menu

J_JTC_2021A 12/14/2021 09:04:26 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
JOINT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON JOINT TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Date 12/14/2021
Attendance
Baisley X
Bernett *
Kolker X
Priola *
Titone X
Bridges X
Time 09:04:26 AM to 04:15:00 PM
Place SCR 352
This Meeting was called to order by Bridges
This Report was prepared by Luisa Altmann
Hearing Items Action Taken
Office of the State Auditor Committee Discussion Only
Governor's Office of Information Technology Vote to draft two pieces of legislation related to the Governor's Office of Information Technology
Overview of the FY 2022-23 IT Capital Budget Requests Committee Discussion Only
Lunch Lunch
FY 22-23 Request: Department of Corrections Committee Discussion Only
FY 22-23 Requests: Colorado State University Committee Discussion Only
Break Break
FY 22-23 Requests: Colorado Community College System Committee Discussion Only
Committee Discussion of December Budget Amendments Committee Discussion Only

09:04:29 AM
Senator Bridges called
the meeting to order.  Luisa Altmann, Legislative Council Staff, discussed
several items and provided an overview of the agenda.



Office of the State Auditor - Committee Discussion Only


09:06:45 AM  
Matt Devlin and Cindi
Radke, Office of the State Auditor, provided an overview of the Annual
Report: Status of Audit Recommendations Not Fully Implemented, as of June
30, 2021, for the Governor's Office of Information Technology.  



A copy of the report can be found here:
http://leg.colorado.gov/audits/annual-report-status-audit-recommendations-not-fully-implemented-june-30-2021
09:15:14 AM  
Ms. Radke responded to questions from the committee regarding where to find details regarding the recommendations in the report.
09:16:43 AM  
Ms. Radke continued with the presentation.
09:18:11 AM  

Ms. Radke and Mr. Devlin responded to questions from the committee regarding how audit recommendations related to information technology are categorized by department. Mr. Devlin discussed the state IT service management audit that is to be released at the Legislative Audit Committee meeting on March 8, 2022.



Governor's Office of Information Technology - Vote to draft two pieces of legislation related to the Governor's Office of Information Technology


09:25:19 AM  

Tony Neal-Graves, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director for the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT), provided a presentation to the committee. A copy of the presentation slides can be found here: http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/2._oit_presentation_s...

Director Neal-Graves' presentation covered the following topics: OIT's executive leadership staff and OIT's Wildly Important Goals for FY 22.

09:34:23 AM  

Julia Richman, Deputy Executive Director for OIT, continued the presentation. Ms. Richman discussed the following topics: IT governance work across the state, the creation of a project management office within OIT, implementation of real-time billing, the release of an OIT service catalog, and the state's overall technical debt related to legacy technology, including an overview of OIT's R-01 operating budget request for FY 2022-23. Ms. Richman continued the presentation with a discussion of cybersecurity efforts within OIT and OIT's responses to the audit recommendations discussed previously by the Office of the State Auditor.

09:45:35 AM  
Michael McReynolds, Legislative Liaison for OIT, continued the presentation with an overview of OIT's FY 2022-23 budget requests and OIT's 2022 legislative agenda.
09:50:51 AM  
Director Neal-Graves continued the presentation with a discussion of the myColorado mobile app; the Colorado Broadband Office, including broadband funding the state is receiving from the federal government; the Colorado Digital Service; and major IT projects across state agencies.
10:00:43 AM  
Mr. McReynolds discussed legislation that passed during the 2021 legislative session that have an impact on OIT.
10:02:23 AM  
The representatives
from OIT responded to questions from the committee related to the myColorado
app, including issues faced on updates through the Google PlayStore, funding
for the app, potential kiosks at grocery stores, the services included,
security of the app, other potential future uses for the app and identity
verification.




The OIT representatives
also responded to questions related to broadband, including mapping of
broadband coverage across the state, the number of internet service providers
in the state, the acquisition of data, affordability of broadband service,
the spend on the followng three buckets: broadband infrastructure, anchor
institutions (those that provide workforce, healthcare, and education services),
and the provision of devices; the utilization of micro-trenching to lay
fiber cables; the provision of middle-mile services; and other topics related
to broadband in the state.
10:46:32 AM  

The representatives from OIT continued to respond to questions from the committee on the following topics:

- the state's technical debt and potential funding to address this issue, including the use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds;

- exploring new funding and budgeting models for the state's IT;

- issues related to the state's payroll system;

- how much the state spends on IT compared to other states; and

- OIT's involvement in IT procurement.

11:04:32 AM  
The committee requested that a letter be sent to each agency to inquire about their IT spend.


11:06:57 AM
Motion Move to draft a bill to relocate the Public Safety Communications Network Program from OIT to the Colorado Department of Public Safety
Moved Titone
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Bernett Yes
Kolker Yes
Priola Yes
Titone Yes
Bridges Yes
YES: 6   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


11:08:06 AM
Motion Move to draft a bill concerning developing a sustainable IT funding
Moved Titone
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Bernett Yes
Kolker Yes
Priola Yes
Titone Yes
Bridges Yes
YES: 6   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



Break - Break


11:08:55 AM  
The committee took a brief recess.
11:09:09 AM  
The committee reconvened.



Overview of the FY 2022-23 IT Capital Budget Requests - Committee Discussion Only


11:21:56 AM  
Ms. Altmann provided
an overview of the role of the Joint Technology Committee in the state
budget process.  Her presentation may be found here:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/4._legislative_council_staff_presentation_slides_0.pdf.
 She discussed the staff analysis of each project and the FY 2022-23
budget request list for prioritization.
11:26:28 AM  

Meredith Moon and Vanessa Reilly, representing the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB), provided a presentation to the committee on the FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget requests. A copy of the presentation slides can be found here: http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/5._ospb_presentation_...

Ms. Moon and Ms. Reilly responded to questions from the committee regarding the scale of OIT's current R-01 technical debt budget request. Ms. Moon discussed the potential work with OIT to develop a roadmap of prioritized projects to address the state's technical debt.

11:47:02 AM  
Commissioner Eric
Tucker, representing the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE),
provided introductory remarks.



Ashlee Pate, representing CCHE, discussed the FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget
requests that have been submitted by institutions of higher education.
 Copies of the handouts can be found here:
http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/6._colorado_commission_on_higher_education_handouts.pdf



Ms. Pate and Lauren Gilliland, representing CCHE, responded to questions
from the committee regarding the use of federal Higher Education Emergency
Relief Fund (HEERF) funding.



Lunch - Lunch


11:59:18 AM  
The committee took a break for lunch.
01:31:24 PM  
The committee reconvened.



FY 22-23 Request: Department of Corrections - Committee Discussion Only


01:31:46 PM  
Scott McKimmy, representing the Colorado Department of Corrections, provided a presentation to the committee on the department's FY 2022-23 IT capital budget request to modernize the department's timekeeping and scheduling systems. A copy of the presentation slides can be found here: http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/7._department_of_corr...
01:47:27 PM  
Mr. McKimmy responded to questions from the committee regarding how the department has worked with OIT on the request thus far, the recent Kronos data breach, cost and time savings that would be realized from the implementation of this solution, the estimated ongoing operating expenses for the system, vendor lock-in, how this request interacts with potential future efforts to modernize the state's payroll system, the DeCORuM project, and other technology issues with software within the department.



FY 22-23 Requests: Colorado State University - Committee Discussion Only


02:14:05 PM  
Pat Burns, Chief Information Officer for the Colorado State University (CSU) System, provided an overview of IT at CSU. A copy of the CSU presentation slides can be found here: http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/8._colorado_state_uni...
02:21:48 PM  
Jason Huitt, Director of Networking and Telecommunications at CSU Fort Collins, continued the presentation with a discussion of the FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget request for phase 2 of the Network Hardware Upgrade project. Mr. Huitt responded to questions from the committee regarding the requested amount, the anticipated longevity of the hardware and whether CSU has considered leasing the equipment, and the request amounts for FY 2023-24.
02:35:05 PM  
Doug Summer, representing
CSU Pueblo, provided an overview of the FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget request
for Communications System Upgrades.  Brandon Bernier, Chief Information
Officer for CSU Fort Collins, discussed CSU Fort Collins' experience with
a similar project on that campus.
02:41:18 PM  
The CSU representatives
responded to questions from the committee regarding the amount of these
requests in past years, the current phone system being used, the lifecycle
of the phone equipment and the analysis of leasing vs. purchasing, and
the benefits of this type of phone system.



Break - Break


02:54:21 PM  
The committee took a brief recess.
03:03:28 PM  
The committee reconvened.



FY 22-23 Requests: Colorado Community College System - Committee Discussion Only


03:03:55 PM  
Joe Garcia, Chancellor
for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), provided an overview
of the CCCS and the three FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget requests from community
colleges that the JTC will be considering.
03:11:07 PM  
Several individuals representing the Community College of Aurora (CCA), including Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, President, Wendy Mench, Director of Information Technology, and Lynne Winchell, Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer, provided an overview of CCA's FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget request to Improve Student Access to Technology.

The CCA representatives responded to questions from the committee regarding the institution's use of federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds and what kinds of devices are being provided to students.

03:20:37 PM  
Several individuals
representing the Community College of Denver (CCD), including Dr. Marielena
DeSanctis, President, Kathryn Kaoudis, Vice President of Administrative
Services and Chief Financial Officer, and Claudia Forbes, Interim Director
of Information Technology Services, provided an overview of CCD's FY 2022-23
IT Capital budget request for phase two of the Classroom and Conference
Room Technology upgrades.  A copy of the CCD presentation slides can
be found here:
http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/10._community_college_of_denver_presentation_slides.pdf



The CCD representatives responded to questions from the committee regarding
potential academic improvement from these investments, how CCD has incorporated
lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the first phase of the project in
moving forward, and how many classrooms and conference rooms have been
upgraded so far with the funding received for phase one of the project.
03:32:28 PM  
Dr. Landon Pirius,
the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for CCCS and representing
the seven colleges that are participating in the Rural College Consortium,
provided an overview of the FY 2022-23 IT Capital budget request for IT
Infrastructure.  A copy of the presentation slides can be found here:
http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/11._rural_college_consortium_presentation_slides.pdf



Dr. Pirius responded to questions from the committee regarding the potential
cost savings from the project, how the funding for shared courses across
campuses works, how many students may be served by this project, the cost
structure for high school students, how the funding will be distributed
among the seven colleges, the appropriations to three of the colleges last
year for IT infrastructure upgrade projects, how this consortium may be
able to help address specific workforce needs in these rural areas, the
work of the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force, and how CCCS
plans to develop the course catalog across the colleges.



Chancellor Garcia returned to the table to discuss the potential benefits
of this project with the committee and potential expansion to high school
students in the future.



Committee Discussion of December Budget Amendments - Committee Discussion Only


04:08:31 PM  
Ms. Altmann provided
an overview of the additional budget requests that were submitted to the
committee for consideration as part of the December 10 budget amendment
package.  A copy of the memo can be found here:
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/12._summary_of_december_10_submission.pdf



Senator Bridges requested information from OIT on the potential for coordinating
purchases of switches, routers, and other IT infrastructure for departments
and institutions of higher education.  Senator Bridges also requested
a presentation to the committee in the future on cybersecurity efforts
at all levels, including the state, local governments, utilities, school
districts, and institutions of higher education.


04:15:00 PM   The committee adjourned.






The 2024 Statewide Ballot Information Booklet is now online