§ 25-4-127 — Data and Transparency Panel - Creation - Duties

(a) The Data and Transparency Panel is created within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services. (b) The panel shall consist of the following members: (1) (A) Three (3) appointees from the private sector who shall be appointed as follows: (i) One (1) appointee shall be appointed by the Governor; (ii) One (1) appointee shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and (iii) One (1) appointee shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. (B) Each appointee shall serve at the pleasure of his or her appointer. (C) The appointer of an appointee who vacates his or her position on the panel shall fill the vacancy as required under this section; (2) The Attorney General or his or her designee; (3) The secretaries, directors, or their designees, of the following entities: (A) The Department of Public Safety; (B) The Department of Inspector General; (C) The Department of Education; (D) The Department of Energy and Environment; (E) The Department of Corrections; (F) The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism; (G) The Department of Finance and Administration; (H) The Department of Health; (I) The Department of Agriculture; (J) The Department of Human Services; (K) The Department of Transformation and Shared Services; (L) The Department of Labor and Licensing; (M) The Department of Veteran Affairs; (N) The Department of the Military; and (O) The Department of Commerce; (4) (A) The Chief Data Officer of the Division of Information Systems. (B) The Chief Data Officer of the Division of Information Systems shall be the Chair of the Data and Transparency Panel. (C) The members of the panel shall select a vice chair annually; (5) The Chief Privacy Officer of the Division of Information Systems; and (6) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or his or her designee. (c) The panel shall: (1) Evaluate and identify data to be included in the statewide data warehouse program; (2) Determine and recommend procedures necessary for the implementation of a statewide data warehouse program; (3) Oversee a statewide data warehouse program implemented in this state; (4) Evaluate and identify data that may be provided to the public in accordance with data standards and specifications developed by the Division of Information Systems; (5) Engage other divisions, boards, and commissions by soliciting input on information sharing opportunities; (6) Provide annual reports to the Joint Committee on Advanced Communications and Information Technology; (7) Develop a unified longitudinal system that links existing siloed agency information for education and workforce outcomes to continuously conduct a business systems assessment to: (A) Help the leaders of this state and service providers develop an improved understanding of individual outcomes resulting from education and workforce pipelines in Arkansas; (B) Identify opportunities for improvement by using real-time information; and (C) Continuously align programs and resources to the evolving economy of this state; and (8) (A) Develop a shared services data hub for statewide data sharing in order to: (i) Drive innovation and facilitate efficiency across state agencies; (ii) Improve the delivery of services; and (iii) Better serve the residents of this state. (B) In implementation of the shared services data hub under subdivision (8)(A) of this section, the Division of Information Systems shall: (i) (a) Establish and maintain a program to collect, analyze, and exchange government information in carrying out the powers and duties of the executive state agency sharing the data. (b) In carrying out the program under subdivision (8)(B)(i) (a) of this section, the Division of Information Systems may obtain government information from each executive state agency; (ii) Establish and maintain a program to make government information available to executive state agencies, political subdivisions, educational institutions, researchers, nongovernmental organizations, and the general public, subject to the following: (a) (1) A program established and maintained under this section shall include a policy governing access to government information held by the Division of Information Systems under this chapter. (2) Government information may be made available only if doing so does not violate state or federal confidentiality and disclosure laws; (b) (1) The Division of Information Systems is considered to be an agent of the executive state agency sharing government information and is an authorized receiver of government information under the statutory or administrative law that governs the government information unless: (A) The Division of Information Systems or executive state agencies are specifically excluded as an authorized receiver; or (B) An authorized receiver of government information is specifically enumerated under the statutory or administrative law governing the government information without stated exceptions or qualifications. (2) Interagency data sharing under this section does not constitute a disclosure or release under any statutory or administrative law that governs the government information; (c) (1) A program established and maintained under this section shall prescribe a form to be used to memorialize the sharing of data under this section. (2) The form required under subdivision (8)(B)(ii) (c)(1) of this section shall be signed by the administrative head of the executive state agency so long as the form does not require the sharing of state agency information that would be in contradiction of existing state or federal law; and (d) (1) A data sharing form completed and signed under subdivision (8)(B)(ii) (c)(1) of this section constitutes the agreement required by any statutory or administrative law that governs the data. (2) Additional documentation is not required to share data under this section; (iii) Establish privacy and quality policy for government information that complies with all applicable Arkansas and federal laws, rules, and policies; (iv) According to standards developed by the state security office, establish and maintain a program to ensure the security of government information under this section; and (v) Establish a public portal that will provide Arkansans with easy access to data. (d) (1) The panel shall meet at least quarterly in each calendar year at a time and place determined by the panel. (2) Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the chair. (e) Nine (9) members of the panel shall constitute a quorum to transact the business of the panel.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2023, No. 634,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023. Amended by Act 2021, No. 742,§ 3, eff. 7/28/2021. Amended by Act 2021, No. 742,§ 2, eff. 7/28/2021. Amended by Act 2021, No. 742,§ 1, eff. 7/28/2021. Amended by Act 2019, No. 936,§ 1, eff. 7/24/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 936,§ 2, eff. 7/24/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 147,§ 1, eff. 7/24/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 6299, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 6298, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 6297, eff. 7/1/2019. Added by Act 2017, No. 912,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2017.