Senate Bill No. 1431 aims to enhance data governance within the executive branch of the state by broadening the definition of "executive branch agency" to include all departments, boards, councils, commissions, and institutions, while excluding constituent units of the state higher education system. The bill mandates that these newly covered agencies designate an employee as their agency data officer, consult with the Chief Data Officer (CDO) on the state data plan, and conduct an annual inventory of their high-value data. Additionally, the bill requires these agencies to develop an open data access plan and consult with the CDO regarding legal obstacles to sharing high-value data.

The bill also eliminates the previous requirement for the CDO to submit an annual report on methods to facilitate the sharing of high-value data, which was due by January 15 each year. Instead, the CDO will now focus on reviewing legal barriers to data sharing in consultation with the Attorney General and agency legal counsel. The changes are designed to streamline data management and sharing processes without incurring additional fiscal impacts, as no new resources are anticipated to be needed for implementation. The effective date for the provisions is immediate upon passage, while the elimination of the annual report requirement will take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-67z
GAE Joint Favorable: 4-67z
File No. 640: 4-67z