§ 42-11-2.6. Office of Digital Excellence established. (a) Within the department, division of enterprise technology strategy and services, there shall be established the Office of Digital Excellence. The purposes of the office shall be to move Rhode Island state government into the 21st century through the incorporation of innovation and modern digital capabilities throughout state government and to leverage technology to expand and improve the quality of services provided to Rhode Island citizens; to promote greater access to government and the internet throughout cities and towns; and to position Rhode Island as a national leader in e-government.

(b) Within the office, there shall be a chief digital officer who shall be appointed by the director of administration with the approval of the governor and who shall be in the unclassified service. The chief digital officer shall report to the director of administration and be required to:

(1) Manage the implementation of all new and mission-critical technology infrastructure projects and upgrades for state agencies. The division of enterprise technology strategy and services, established pursuant to § 42-11-2.8, shall continue to manage and support all day-to-day operations of the state's technology infrastructure, telecommunications, and associated applications;

(2) Increase the number of government services that can be provided online in order to allow residents and businesses to complete transactions in a more efficient and transparent manner;

(3) Improve the state's websites to provide timely information to online users and as many government services as possible online; and

(4) Establish, improve, and enhance the state's use of social media and mobile technological applications.

(c) The office shall coordinate its efforts with the division of enterprise technology strategy and services in order to plan, allocate, and implement projects supported by the information technology investment fund established pursuant to § 42-11-2.5.

(d) All intellectual property created as a result of work undertaken by employees of the office shall remain the property of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Any patents applied for shall be in the name of the state.

(e) The director of administration may promulgate rules and regulations recommended by the chief digital officer in order to effectuate the purposes and requirements of this act.

(f) The chief digital officer shall report no later than January 31, 2013, and every January 31 thereafter, to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the senate president regarding the implementation status of all technology infrastructure projects; website improvements; number of e-government transactions and revenues generated; projects supported by the information technology investment fund; and all other activities undertaken by the office. The report shall also include planned use for projects related to public safety communications and emergency services, recommendations on the development of and opportunities for shared implementation and delivery of these services among municipalities, and strategies for such shared services. The annual report shall be posted on the office's website.

History of Section. (P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 4, § 10; P.L. 2016, ch. 142, art. 4, § 4; P.L. 2018, ch. 47, art. 7, § 11.)