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Senate approves bill creating Department of Technology Services amid accountability questions
Summary
The Senate passed House Bill 109 to create a Department of Technology Services consolidating IT functions, citing two years of study; senators pressed sponsors about merit status for transferred employees and past concerns about an unaccountable 'CIO' role.
The Utah Senate approved House Bill 109, which restructures state IT governance by creating a Department of Technology Services to replace the prior division within the Department of Administrative Services. Sponsor Senator Evans said the measure follows a two-year study, will consolidate duplicate purchases and services, improve training, and give the governor authority to transition personnel, funding and technology assets over an 18‑month period.
Senator Hale asked whether employees transferred into the new department retain merit status; Senator Evans responded that current career-service employees transferred to the new department maintain merit status unless their duties substantially change and that any promotion or reclassification would require review by the IT director and the director of human resources.
Senator Maine raised concerns about accountability when a CIO-like office holds centralized authority, citing prior state experiences and whistleblower issues involving a former CIO. Senator Evans and supporters said the proposal includes oversight mechanisms, preserves merit for current employees and emerged from intensive review and departmental cooperation.
Under suspension of the rules the Senate moved the bill for second and third reading; a roll-call recorded 24 yes votes, 4 nays, and 1 absent (final recorded count 24 yes, 4 nay, 1 absent as noted in the transcript) and the bill was amended in the Senate and returned to the House for further action.
What's next: The bill was amended in the Senate and will go back to the House for consideration of Senate amendments; details on the transition plan, exempt positions and oversight mechanisms will be part of implementation discussion.
