MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Environment Prot, Cons and Water Res

By: Senator(s) Dearing

AN ACT TO CREATE THE STATEWIDE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM COORDINATING COUNCIL; TO SPECIFY THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL; TO REQUIRE THE COORDINATING COUNCIL TO DEVELOP AND PREPARE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A STATEWIDE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MINIMUM CONTENTS OF THAT PLAN; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO SERVE AS COORDINATOR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Statewide Scientific Information Management Act of 1999."

SECTION 2. (1) The Legislature finds that:

(a) Numerous federal and state agencies collect and manage scientific information relating to the environment and natural resources of the state;

(b) Scientific information is a strategic asset in the management of our natural resources, exploration for oil and gas and economic development activities; and

(c) Lack of coordination in the collection and management of scientific information can lead to duplication of efforts and inefficient information management thus leading to increased and unnecessary costs.

(2) The purpose of this act is to establish a statewide coordinated effort to provide for the management of scientific information to ensure the effective and efficient collection, management, dissemination and analysis of scientific information available to the state and to provide that information in a user-friendly format to governmental agencies, academic institutions, other public and private organizations and the general public for economic development, natural resources and environmental management and other purposes.

SECTION 3. For purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed herein unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "Scientific information" means information associated with the monitoring and management of the environment and natural resources of a specifically targeted geographic area that is collected, analyzed, managed, updated by and used among agencies, departments, associations and other organizations concerned with or responsible for the geographic area.

(b) "Scientific information management system" means a management system which would allow scientific information to be collected, processed, analyzed, managed, updated and subsequently accessed by users of that information.

SECTION 4. (1) There is created the Mississippi Statewide Scientific Information Management System Coordinating Council, hereinafter referred to as "coordinating council," for the purpose of developing a strategic plan for a statewide scientific information management system and serving as a coordinating entity for all aspects of scientific information management.

(2) (a) The council shall consist of the following voting members: the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality; the Executive Director of the Department of Economic and Community Development; the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; the Executive Director of the Department of Marine Resources; the State Health Officer; the State Forester; the Executive Director of the Department of Transportation; the Chairman of the Mississippi Water Resources Advisory Council; the Vice-President for Research and Sponsored Programs at each university on the Mississippi Research Consortium; the Vice-President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University; the State Director of Technology Transfer; the Center Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Stennis Space Center; the District Chief, Mississippi District, United States Geological Survey; the Executive Director of the Mississippi Automated Resource Information System; the Executive Director of the Department of Information Technology Services; the President of the Institute of Technology Development; and two (2) representatives of the private sector user community appointed by the Governor.

Members of the coordinating council not appointed by the Governor shall serve a term concurrent with their term of office in their respective position. Nonappointed members may designate an alternate to serve in their stead and the alternate shall have the authority to act for the designating member.

Members of the council appointed by the Governor shall serve four-year terms.

(b) In addition to the members of the coordinating council specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the coordinating council may invite, as participating members, representatives of any other state and federal organizations, or individuals possessing appropriate expertise or who have a viable interest in the development and implementation of the statewide scientific information management system.

(c) The Chairman of the Senate Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Resources Committee and one (1) member of that committee appointed by the chairman may attend meetings of the coordinating council. The Speaker of the House of Representatives may designate the Chairman of the House Conservation and Water Resources Committee and one (1) member of that committee to attend any meeting of the coordinating council. The appointing authorities may designate alternate members from their respective houses to serve when the regular designees are unable to attend such meetings of the coordinating council. The legislative designees shall have no jurisdiction or vote on any matter within the jurisdiction of the coordinating council. For attending meetings of the coordinating council, the legislators shall receive per diem and expenses which shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem and expenses for attending meetings of the coordinating council will be paid while the Legislature is in session. No per diem and expenses will be paid except for attending meetings of the coordinating council without prior approval of the proper committee in their respective houses.

(d) Original appointments to the coordinating council shall be made no later than October 1, 1999. The Governor shall require adequate disclosure of potential conflicts of interest by appointed members of the coordinating council. Vacancies on the coordinating council shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointments.

(e) The coordinating council shall elect from its membership a chairperson to preside over meetings and vice-chairperson to preside in the absence of the chairperson or when the chairperson shall be excused. The coordinating council shall adopt procedures governing the manner of conducting its business. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum to do business.

(f) Members of the coordinating council shall serve without compensation, except as otherwise provided in paragraph c of this subsection. At the direction of the chairman of the coordinating council and contingent upon the availability of sufficient funds, each member may receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses, including travel expenses in accordance with rates established pursuant to Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, incurred in attending meetings of the coordinating council.

(3) The coordinating council shall convene before November 15, 1999.

(4) The coordinating council shall not employ any permanent staff, rent or occupy independent office space or otherwise establish a full-time office.

(5) In conducting its activities under this act, the coordinating council may elicit the support of and participation by any state or local governmental agency as may be necessary or appropriate. All state and local governmental agencies shall provide support or participation as requested.

(6) The coordinating council may exercise those duties and powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, the following functions:

(a) Conduct, or cause to be conducted any studies, analyses or evaluations related to the development and implementation of a scientific information management system;

(b) Apply and contract for and accept any grants, public or private funds, gifts or proceeds in furtherance of the activities of the coordinating council;

(c) Authorize the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to enter into all contracts or execute all instruments, on behalf of the coordinating council, and do all acts necessary, desirable or convenient to carry out any power expressly granted to the council in this chapter; and

(d) Expend or distribute any funds or assets in its custody or under its control appropriate in carrying out the purposes of this act.

SECTION 5. (1) Before November 15, 2000, the Mississippi Scientific Information Management System Coordinating Council shall develop and prepare a strategic plan for the development and implementation of a statewide scientific information management system.

(2) The strategic plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) A detailed analysis of the sources, types, amounts and methods by which scientific information is currently collected in the state and of methods or systems currently used to manage that scientific information;

(b) An identification of the current costs of collection, management, analysis, updating, use and dissemination of scientific information in the state with particular emphasis on costs to state agencies;

(c) A description of current efforts by agencies and organizations collecting scientific information to provide broad access to that information;

(d) An identification of planned scientific information management programs and needs and an evaluation of how those planned programs or needs may be met or integrated into the statewide scientific information management system;

(e) A clearly-defined, comprehensive statement of the mission, goals and objectives of the statewide scientific information management system;

(f) A detailed analysis of the benefits and capabilities of a statewide scientific information management system;

(g) A plan for the development and implementation of a statewide scientific information management system in a phased manner;

(h) A timeline for the development and implementation of a statewide scientific information management system;

(i) A detailed analysis and estimate of the costs for development and implementation of the statewide scientific information management system and a recommended method for funding the development and implementation of the system; and

(j) Any other information the coordinating council deems appropriate.

(3) In addition, the strategic plan shall recommend appropriate policies and standards for use in management of scientific information and for providing access to that information. The strategic plan shall also address information accuracy and quality issues, ease of access issues, training and technical support issues and interagency coordination issues.

(4) Upon completion of the strategic plan, the coordinating council shall provide copies to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairmen of the Senate Environmental Protection, Conservation and Water Resources Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Chairmen of the House Conservation and Water Resources Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, the Legislative Budget Office, the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee and the Legislative Reference Bureau.

SECTION 6. The Department of Environmental Quality shall serve as the coordinator for implementation of this act. The Department of Environmental Quality shall provide any technical and other support services and personnel as the Mississippi Scientific Information Management System Coordinating Council may require in the performance of its functions. The Department of Environmental Quality shall administer any funds made available to the coordinating council for its use and shall at the request and on behalf of the coordinating council, contract for services using any funds available to the coordinating council.

SECTION 7. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall be codified as a new chapter in Title 49.

SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.