A Vision for the Millennium:

Mission and Projects

State government faces certain challenges to thrive in the Millennium:

The economic condition, health, safety, and education of more than nineteen million Texans define what state government can and must do for its citizens.

Agencies need to increase integration of their information resources strategic plans and programmatic strategic plans.

State executives and program managers must become more involved in and accountable for major information resources projects.

Better asset and personnel management must occur to avoid technological obsolescence.

Government must overcome the inability to attract and retain experienced, qualified project managers and other information resources staff.


Business resumption and asset protection planning must be improved to safeguard state operations from risk during disasters.

Courts at all levels perform state functions.

Courts play a major role to ensure safety.


The judiciary is exempt from programmatic strategic plans. However the primary goal of the courts is to resolve disputes brought before them in a fair and expeditious manner. JCIT, through the OCA information resources strategic plan, integrates these two planning processes.


JCIT is composed of state and local elected and appointed officials representing their respective associations.

Local governments should benefit in this area because of this statewide project.

This has been a major concern to OCA and JCIT. We have experienced difficulties due to the demand for these skills. Increased budget has been requested to address this issue.

Local governments should benefit in this area because of this statewide project.

Texans will be empowered through direct and easy access to specific information regarding state programs and services. Each citizen will be able to address his or her needs and express his or her opinions directly with elected officials, and members of boards and commissions, any time of the day. State government must take the leading role in assuring this access is available to all citizens.

Texas state government will integrate government services by developing, implementing, and maintaining a statewide information resources infrastructure.

Objectives

(a) Provide access to the coordinated, Year 2000-ready, interoperable communications infrastructure necessary to support state computer and videoconferencing needs.

(b) Develop and assist organizations that coordinate and facilitate sharing of information.

(c) Provide a standard electronic index to all state information and services, even those that are not provided electronically.

(d) Establish inventories, definitions, and identified custodians for all data elements in state databases.

Relevant work

Sharing Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System with the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement.


Working as part of the State Agency Justice Information Coordinating Committee (OCA, DPS, DCJ, TJPC, TYC) to share criminal justice and juvenile justice information.

Developing and hosting court websites. Creating indices of appellate and trial court case information.

Developing data and functional standards for court case management systems.

Texas will adopt and apply information resources standards and guidelines.


Objectives

(a) Ensure interoperability and connectivity between state and private information resources facilities.

(b) Ensure the privacy of citizens as required by law.

(c) Provide appropriate security and authentication for information and services maintained and communicated by the state.

(d) Develop standard Year 2000 audit guidelines.

JCIT is developing technology standards for the judiciary. These standards are addressed in JCIT's report.

Relevant Projects

Establishing data and data interchange standards for courts and private vendors of court case management systems. Establishing electronic filing standards.

Privacy has been an area of concern among Texas courts and other states. Studies are on-going.

Establishing security guidelines and electronic commerce guidelines.


Guidelines are in place for the appellate court system and for state funds spent for trial courts.

Texas state government will enable sharing and interoperability of services through common frameworks and processes.

Objectives

(a) Harmonize and improve information resources planning within and between entities at all levels of government.

(b) Standardize information systems development and implementation.

(c) Foster exemplary management of information resources projects.

(d) Ensure Year 2000 operability of critical systems.

Courts have a business need to share data with a many other entities, including other courts. JCIT is establishing commonality in the frameworks and processes through its standards.

Relevant Projects

JCIT is a statewide project with major implications for county and municipal governments. The standards being developed are targeted to facilitate information resources planning for courts at this level and the state level.

A primary focus of JCIT is to establish standards for the functionality and data of court case management systems that are developed for Texas courts.

JCIT standards and efforts are geared towards moving courts to the mainstream of technology to maximize investments made at all levels of government.

Guidelines are in place for the appellate court system and for state funds spent for trial courts.

Texas state government's acquisition, use, and management of information technology will be driven by the recognition and understanding of user needs.

Objectives

(a) Provide equitable access to state-provided information and services at times and locations citizens select, taking into account special needs and social, economic, and ethnic considerations.

(b) Ensure the availability of simple, comprehensive user interfaces to state-provided information and services.

(c) Ensure electronic availability for all state documents, data, and services from a variety of sources as allowable by law.

(d) Effect continuous availability and business recovery of the state's mission-critical information resources capabilities through the next Millennium.

The JCIT has established subcommittees and studies to identify and present solutions to meet users' needs. OCA communication with users is a focus for improvement.

Relevant Projects

Public access to courts, court documents, and data is a key part of the mission of JCIT and OCA.

JCIT and OCA are developing indices of case staus information available on the internet.



JCIT and OCA are developing indices of case staus information available on the internet.



JCIT and OCA are developing disaster recovery guidelines for the trial courts and refining the guidelines in place for the appellate courts.