Texas Department of Information Resources:

An Inventory of Department of Information Resources Records at the Texas State Archives, 1981-1997, 1999

Agency History

The Texas Automated Information Systems Advisory Council (AISAC) was created in 1981 (House Bill 1463, 67th Texas Legislature, Regular Session), to adopt guidelines to aid state governmental bodies in making economical and efficient use of automated information systems, the computers on which they were automated, and related services. This advisory council was composed of seven members, serving overlapping two-year terms. Two were appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, including (1) a member or employee of the house or of a legislative agency, and (2) a person employed by a private corporation as the manager of an automated information system. Two were appointed by the lieutenant governor, including (3) a member or employee of the senate or of a legislative agency, and (4) a person employed by private industry as the manager of a large mainframe computer. Three were appointed by the governor, including (5) a person knowledgeable in the management of automated information systems and the computers on which they are automated, (6) an employee of a state-supported institution of higher education knowledgeable in the management of automated information systems, and (7) an employee of a state governmental body (other than an institution of higher education) knowledgeable in the management of automated information systems.

This advisory council was replaced in 1985 by the Texas Automated Information and Telecommunications Council (AITC) (House Bill 2375, 69th Texas Legislature, Regular Session), with the following additional duties: to conduct a management audit of each state governmental body in the use of telecommunication devices, systems, and services, and in the use of automated information systems, the computers on which they are automated, and related services; to serve as a central clearinghouse of software; and to prepare a long-range telecommunications plan. The new council was composed of nine members, adding the following two to the previous seven: (8) one appointed by the speaker, and (9) one appointed by the lieutenant governor, both of them state employees knowledgeable in the management of automated information systems or telecommunications systems.

The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) was created in 1989 (House Bill 2736, 71st Texas Legislature, Regular Session) to coordinate and direct the use of automated information and telecommunications devices, systems, or services by Texas state agencies. It replaced both the AITC and the Automated Interagency Services Division of the State Purchasing and General Services Commission. The major difference between the DIR and either of its predecessor councils is its ability to monitor and enforce compliance with state-mandated information resources policies and goals. Specific duties assigned to the department include: collecting data from state agencies regarding use and costs of information resources technologies; monitoring national and international standards for information resources technologies; establishing policies, procedures, and standards relating to information resources management by state agencies; providing technical assistance to all levels of government; testing various available technologies; providing for all interagency use of information resources technology by state agencies (except for telecommunications services provided by the General Services Commission until September 2001); and operating a computer services facility for state agencies. When the Building and Procurement Commission began operating in September 2001, the Texas Department of Information Resources assumed the telecommunications functions formerly performed by the General Services Commission.

Between 1989 and 1997, the policy-making body of the Texas Department of Information Resources was a nine-member board, appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the senate for overlapping six-year terms. Three of the members came from a list submitted by the speaker of the house, and had to include at least one state representative (ex-officio, but voting); another three came from a list submitted by the lieutenant governor, and had to include at least one state senator (ex-officio, but voting); one member had to be employed by an institution of higher learning. The governor named the chair.

In 1997 (Senate Bill 365, 75th Texas Legislature, Regular Session), the number of voting members on the board was reduced to six, still appointed by the governor, and still including one employee of an institution of higher education. In addition, three ex-officio, non-voting members were added, from two groups which serve for two years each on a rotating basis, neither group serving at the same time as the other: the first group is composed of the executive director of the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission, the commissioner of Health and Human Services, and the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation; the second group is composed of the Texas commissioner of Education, the executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the executive director of the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.

The number of voting members was increased to seven in 2003 (Senate Bill 287, 78th Texas Legislature, Regular Session) in response to a constitutional amendment affecting all state agencies with boards containing an even number of members.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) was created in 1989 to coordinate and direct the use of automated information and telecommunications devices, systems, or services by Texas state agencies. It was preceded by the Texas Automated Information Systems Advisory Council (AISAC), 1981-1985; and the Texas Automated Information and Telecommunications Council (AITC), 1985-1989, neither of which had the power to monitor and enforce compliance with state-mandated information resources policies and goals. These records document those functions. Types of records include long-range automation plans and initial operating plans of state agencies, correspondence, memos, organizational charts, reports, legislation, lists, notes, drafts, printed materials, legal documents, financial records, speeches, publications, and overhead transparencies. Records date 1981-1997 and 1999. Subjects covered include automation of state agencies and agency administration, geographic information systems, open records request surveys, the information resources management reporting process, the state strategic planning, technology standards, presentations to the Sunset Commission, and plans/methods/models to bill agencies. One large file relates to the transition of duties from the existing organizations to the Department of Information Resources.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Because of the possibility that portions of the Administrative correspondence series of these records fall under Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, home addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and personal family information of government employees and officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the records.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).

Technical Requirements

None.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Department of Information Resources records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1989/081, 1993/172, 1996/033, 1996/043, 1997/043, 1997/118, 1999/106, 2000/011, 2002/144, 2003/124, 2003/173, 2004/091

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Automated Information Systems Advisory Council on December 29, 1988; and by the Texas Department of Information Resources on January 23, 1993; December 18, 1995; January 19, 1996; November 19, 1996; May 12, 1997; February 22, 1999; September 16, 1999; June 14, 2002; November 8, 2002; June 23, 2003; and February 17, 2004.

Processing Information

Laura K. Saegert, October 1989

Tonia J. Wood, October 1995

Lisa M. Hendricks, December 1995, November 1996, May 1997

Nancy Enneking, March 1999, September 1999

Tony Black, June 2002, March 2003, February 2004, April 2005

Appraisal Information

In April 2005, the appraisal archivists determined that one series of Texas Department of Information Resources records, Policies and procedures, 1989, fractional, was in fact not archival, consisting of only a routine personnel policy manual. The series was deleted from the inventory, and the existing manual in that series was discarded.

Accruals

Archival records are transferred to the Texas State Archives on a regular basis.

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Detailed Description of the Records

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