Department of Government Operations. Division of Technology Services

Entity: 1922
Entity Type: State Government

Prior Names

Division of Information Technology Services
Department of Technology Services
Division of Technology Services

Abstract

The Division of Information Technology Services was created in 1990 to provide data processing and telecommunications services to state government agencies. The Department of Technology Services (DTS) was officially established by Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., and the State Legislature with the passage of the Utah Technology Governance Act (H.B.109) in 2005, calling for a major restructuring of the State's Information Technology (IT) services. In 2021, the Department became a division of the Department of Government Operations.

Biography/History Notes

The enabling act empowers the division to (a) establish telecommunications system specifications and standards for use by state agencies; (b) coordinate state telecommunications planning in cooperation with state telecommunications users and other departments and state agencies; (c) coordinate the development and implementation of advanced state telecommunications systems; (d) provide data processing and telecommunications technical assistance to state agencies; (e) cooperate with other federal, state, county, or city data processing and telecommunications departments, divisions, sections or units in the development, implementation, and maintenance of governmental data processing and telecommunications systems in a cooperative organization or otherwise; (f) establish, operate, manage, and maintain the central state computer center and regional computer centers; and (g) coordinate the implementation of minimum standards for compatibility of procedures, programming languages, codes, and media to facilitate the exchange of information within and among systems. The only exemption was the Public Safety mobile radio communication system used for the delivery of public safety services, which continued to be managed by the Department of Public Safety until 1991. Public Safety dispatch remains exempt.

Information and Technology Services is administered by a division director. The division director is appointed by the executive director of the Department of Administrative Services (UTSVH00270-A) with the approval of the governor. Advisory committees composed of representatives of user agencies may recommend policies and practices for the efficient and effective operation of the division.

The Division of Information Technology Services was statutorily created in 1990 by the 48th Legislature through consolidation of the Division of Data Processing (UTSVH00305-A) and the Division of Telecommunications (UTSVH01153-A). The division comprises three distinct subdivisions--administration, data processing, and telecommunications.

Technology Services was moved under the new Department of Government Operations in 2021, becoming the Division of Technology Services (Laws of Utah Chapter 344).