§ 36-4-15.1. Specialized information technology positions in state service.
(a) For purposes of this section, "specialized information technology position� means
a technical or specialized job classification in state service under the supervision
of the division of enterprise technology strategy and services ("ETSS�) within the
department of administration. Such positions may include information technology leadership
roles (i.e., chief information officer, chief technology officer, chief information
security officer, etc.) and any other information technology positions which are supervisory,
confidential, or managerial as defined by chapter 7 of title 28 and the rules and regulations of the Rhode Island state labor relations board. There
shall be no more than fifteen (15) specialized information technology positions employed
by the state in any fiscal year.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law or regulation to the
contrary, including the personnel rules adopted pursuant to § 36-4-8, the personnel administrator, in their sole discretion, may modify, change, or amend
any official pay plan for employees in the classified or unclassified service in order
to create new job classifications, and/or modify the title, content, or pay grade
of an existing job classification, for any new or existing specialized information
technology positions as defined above. All information technology job specifications
and corresponding pay grades shall be reviewed annually to maintain accuracy and fluency
with emerging technologies, operating systems, and/or applications.
(c) The personnel administrator is hereby authorized to take whatever administrative action
is necessary to implement the changes to the official pay plans for specialized information
technology positions, as defined in this section, without conducting a public hearing
or obtaining the approval of the governor prior to the implementation of any such
action.
(d) Within thirty (30) days after any personnel action under this section, the personnel
administrator shall file a written report with the governor, the speaker of the house,
the senate president, and the chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees.
This report shall include:
(1) The title and pay grade of the position(s);
(2) The job description of the position(s); and
(3) The reason why the position(s) is/are necessary. The personnel administrator shall
also post the report on the division of human resources' website for at least one
year.
(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any specialized information technology
position utilized by ETSS that is part of a collective bargaining unit established
and certified by the Rhode Island state labor relations board or which are eligible
to be accreted into an existing collective bargaining unit pursuant to chapter 7 of title 28 and the rules or regulations of the Rhode Island state labor relations board.
(f) Except as authorized by chapter 7 of title 28 and the rules or regulations of the Rhode Island state labor relations board, nothing
shall permit the conversion of any/all information technology positions in the classified,
unclassified, or non-classified, covered by a collective bargaining unit to any/all
specialized information technology position utilized by ETSS.
(g) The authorization granted by this section to the personnel administrator to convert
any/all information technology positions to specialized information technology positions
shall sunset on December 31, 2026.