2020 Biennial Performance Report

Advancing the Next Generation of Technology in Texas

Recommendations

Goal 1: Secure IT Service Delivery

1. Advance the state of security through expansion of coordinated incident response by creating:
  • The Texas Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CIRT), a team of trained information security professionals that can provide critical services expediently to mitigate the damage during incident scenarios.
  • Regional security operations centers (SOCs) located at universities or with other governmental entities in different geographic regions throughout Texas to assist with major cybersecurity incidents.
  • A volunteer incident response team of vetted volunteers to assist with responding to cybersecurity events and create a framework for a shared talent pool to assist with responding to events statewide.
2. Enhance cybersecurity by aligning training and requirements for public sector entities:
  • Expand state-provided security awareness training to ensure that all entities working on public resources have consistent, high-quality security training at low or no cost.
  • A shared information security resources pilot program to determine whether small agencies and local governments could benefit from the expertise and cost-effectiveness of a resource sharing program.
  • State, local government, and school district cybersecurity improvements including a standardized domain suffix requirement (for local governments ".gov" and school districts ".edu") and a single source for state, local government, and school districts to report cyberattacks with a minimum reporting time requirement.

Goal 2: Advanced Data Management & Digital Services 

1. Accelerate data management, data sharing, and data transparency progress by requiring state agencies to:
  • Publish all public, high value data sets to the Texas Open Data Portal.
  • Use the Closed Data Portal for data sharing within and between state agencies.
  • Perform an assessment of their agency’s data program to determine gaps in data management.
2. Implement digital applications for state government payments and services by:
  • Enabling private-sector peer to peer (P2P) payment solutions commonly used by the public to provide additional payment methods for government services. 
  • Enabling broader access to digital services, streamlined processes, and digitization by expanding use of digital signatures.
  • Providing Texans with a secure, centralized, mobile-friendly portal for interacting with state government by requiring agencies to use the Texas by Texas (TxT) digital assistant mobile application.

Goal 3: Agile & Automated IT Strategies

1. Create programs for redeployment and development of state IT resources that includes:
  • Streamlined procedures for transferring state agency laptops to school districts and public charter schools in support of both in-person and remote learning. 
  • Establishing a centralized program for developing and retaining IT skills in state government.
2. Create programs that invest in public-sector IT with market-driven solutions by:
  • Offering shared Texas IT services program to other state entities, thus enabling additional revenue and lowering the overall cost through greater volume discounts.
  • Establishing a fund for modernizing legacy IT infrastructure.

Navigation