SB 22-191

Senate Bill 22-191 in Colorado is about streamlining how state agencies buy technology. It says that the Office of Information Technology must handle most tech purchases for state agencies, but other agencies can still make their own purchases if they get permission first. If the office doesn't respond within 30 days to a request from another agency, that agency can go ahead and buy what it needs. The bill also sets up rules for how money is managed in a technology fund and ensures that software contracts don’t restrict where or how government agencies use their purchased software. This bill has been signed into law, meaning its provisions are now active and being implemented by the state.

Official Summary

The office of information technology (office) is required to initiate the procurement of information technology (IT) resources and is required to participate in other IT procurement-related activities on behalf of a state agency; except that a state agency may initiate solicitations and contracts for IT resources with prior approval of the procurement official of the office. If a state agency does not receive written approval or disapproval from the procurement official for the office within 30 business days after submitting a procurement request to the office for review, the state agency may assume that it has received the prior approval of the office and is authorized to initiate the procurement or solicitation process. The balance of the existing technology risk prevention and response fund (fund) is capped at $50 million. The office may contribute money to the fund from the operations and maintenance fees associated with the billing practices of the office. Any money appropriated from the general fund to the office or a state agency for the procurement of IT resources or projects that is unexpended or unencumbered at the end of a fiscal year as a result of savings achieved in connection with such procurement must be transferred to the fund. A contract for the licensing of software applications that are designed to run on generally available desktop or server hardware cannot limit a governmental body's ability to install or run the software on the hardware of the governmental body's choosing. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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