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State IT supervisor urges funding to restore positions, hours at Bureau of Information Technology Solutions
Summary
A Bureau of Information Technology Solutions supervisor told the Appropriations Committee that hiring freezes and reduced staff hours have strained IT support for Developmental Services and urged the committee to fund vacant positions and restore hours to 40/week.
A state information-technology supervisor told the Appropriations Committee that the Bureau of Information Technology Solutions (BITS) needs funding to restore vacant positions and full-time hours to deliver services for agencies including the Department of Developmental Services.
Jan Lawrence, an IT development supervisor who also represents IT professionals in CSEA SEIU Local 2001, said BITS has roughly 70 staff currently working 35 hours a week rather than 40 because a planned upgrade to full-time status has been delayed amid a hiring freeze. Lawrence said two recently vacated positions in her unit remain unfilled and that DAS leadership informed staff last spring of a budget shortfall that halted promised upgrades.
Lawrence said the work performed by in-house IT staff is cost-effective and critical to maintaining applications that help the Department of Developmental Services manage services for people with intellectual disabilities. She urged the committee to fund positions so BITS can continue to provide development and support services in-house rather than relying on outside contractors.
No action was taken during the hearing. Lawrence asked appropriators to include investments in personnel and technology to maintain state-operated systems.
