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SB 1845, if passed, would modify the Government Code
(Section 1, Subchapter B, Chapter 2054) to allow the Department of Information
Resources to employ a data coordinator. This data coordinator would be given a
variety of tasks including improving control of information security, promoting
the sharing of information between agencies, and reducing information
collection costs. The data coordinator would also be tasked with improving coordination
and security among the state agencies involved. The final section of SB 1845
includes a subsection which requires that state agencies cooperate with the
data coordinator.
Cybersecurity is a legitimate concern of the state, and an
area in which the statute is likely to require adaptation at a fairly regular
basis. We see no problem with either the goal of increased coordination between
state agencies, or the means proposed by SB 1845. The state holds a good deal of private information that, if accessed by people with bad intentions, could lead to identity theft or other things deleterious to taxpayers. As such we support SB
1845.