(a) There is in the Government Operations Agency, in the Department of Technology, the Office of Technology Services.

(b) The purpose of this article is to establish a general purpose technology services provider to serve the common technology needs of executive branch entities with accountability to customers for providing secure services that are responsive to client needs at a cost representing best value to the state.

(c) The purpose of this chapter is to improve and coordinate the use of technology and to coordinate and cooperate with all public agencies in the state in order to eliminate duplications and to bring about economies that could not otherwise be obtained.

(d) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, whenever the term “Department of Technology Services” appears in any statute, regulation, or contract, it shall be deemed to refer to the Office of Technology Services, and whenever the term “Director of Technology Services” appears in statute, regulation, or contract, it shall be deemed to refer to the Chief of the Office of Technology Services.

(e) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the Office of Technology Services and the Director of Technology succeed to and are vested with all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction vested in the former Department of Technology Services and the former Director of Technology Services, or Secretary of California Technology, respectively.

(f) All employees serving in state civil service, other than temporary employees, who are engaged in the performance of functions transferred to the Office of Technology Services, are transferred to the Office of Technology Services. The status, positions, and rights of those persons shall not be affected by their transfer and shall continue to be retained by them pursuant to the State Civil Service Act (Part 2 (commencing with Section 18500) of Division 5), except as to positions the duties of which are vested in a position exempt from civil service. The personnel records of all transferred employees shall be transferred to the Office of Technology Services.

(g) The property of any office, agency, or department related to functions transferred to the Office of Technology Services is transferred to the Office of Technology Services. If any doubt arises as to where that property is transferred, the Department of General Services shall determine where the property is transferred.

(h) All unexpended balances of appropriations and other funds available for use in connection with any function or the administration of any law transferred to the Office of Technology Services shall be transferred to the Office of Technology Services for the use and for the purpose for which the appropriation was originally made or the funds were originally available. If there is any doubt as to where those balances and funds are transferred, the Department of Finance shall determine where the balances and funds are transferred.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 353, Sec. 71. (SB 820) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 129 of Ch. 353.)