The position of Secretary of Technology (the Secretary) is created. The Secretary shall be responsible to the Governor for the following agencies, councils, and boards: Information Technology Advisory Council, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority, Virginia Information Technologies Agency, Virginia Geographic Information Network Advisory Board, and the 9-1-1 Services Board. The Governor, by executive order, may assign any other state executive agency to the Secretary, or reassign any agency listed in this section to another Secretary.

Unless the Governor expressly reserves such power to himself, the Secretary may, with regard to strategy development, planning and budgeting for technology programs in the Commonwealth:

1. Monitor trends and advances in fundamental technologies of interest and importance to the economy of the Commonwealth and direct and approve a stakeholder-driven technology strategy development process that results in a comprehensive and coordinated view of research and development goals for industry, academia and government in the Commonwealth. This strategy shall be updated biennially and submitted to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

2. Work closely with the appropriate federal research and development agencies and program managers to maximize the participation of Commonwealth industries and baccalaureate institutions of higher education in these programs consistent with agreed strategy goals.

3. Direct the development of plans and programs for strengthening the technology resources of the Commonwealth's high technology industry sectors and for assisting in the strengthening and development of the Commonwealth's Regional Technology Councils.

4. Direct the development of plans and programs for improving access to capital for technology-based entrepreneurs.

5. Assist the Joint Commission on Technology and Science created pursuant to § 30-85 in its efforts to stimulate, encourage, and promote the development of technology in the Commonwealth.

6. Continuously monitor and analyze the technology investments and strategic initiatives of other states to ensure the Commonwealth remains competitive.

7. Strengthen interstate and international partnerships and relationships in the public and private sectors to bolster the Commonwealth's reputation as a global technology center.

8. Develop and implement strategies to accelerate and expand the commercialization of intellectual property created within the Commonwealth.

9. Ensure the Commonwealth remains competitive in cultivating and expanding growth industries, including life sciences, advanced materials and nanotechnology, biotechnology, and aerospace.

10. Monitor the trends in the availability and deployment of and access to broadband communications services, which include, but are not limited to, competitively priced, high-speed data services and Internet access services of general application, throughout the Commonwealth and advancements in communications technology for deployment potential. The Secretary shall report annually by December 1 to the Governor and General Assembly on those trends.

11. Designate specific projects as enterprise information technology projects, prioritize the implementation of enterprise information technology projects, and establish enterprise oversight committees to provide ongoing oversight for enterprise information technology projects. At the discretion of the Governor, the Secretary shall designate a state agency or public institution of higher education as the business sponsor responsible for implementing an enterprise information technology project, and shall define the responsibilities of lead agencies that implement enterprise information technology projects. For purposes of this subdivision, "enterprise" means an organization with common or unifying business interests. An enterprise may be defined at the Commonwealth level or Secretariat level for programs and project integration within the Commonwealth, Secretariats, or multiple agencies.

12. Establish Internal Agency Oversight Committees and Secretariat Oversight Committees as necessary and in accordance with § 2.2-2021.

13. Review and approve the Commonwealth strategic plan for information technology, as developed and recommended by the Chief Information Officer pursuant to subdivision A 3 of § 2.2-2007.1.

14. Communicate regularly with the Governor and other Secretaries regarding issues related to the provision of information technology services in the Commonwealth, statewide technology initiatives, and investments and other efforts needed to achieve the Commonwealth's information technology strategic goals.

15. Provide consultation on guidelines, at the recommendation of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority, for the application, review, and award of funds from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund pursuant to § 2.2-2233.1.

1999, cc. 412, 421, 433, §§ 2.1-51.44, 2.1-51.45, 2.1-51.46; 2001, c. 844; 2003, cc. 981, 1021; 2004, c. 989; 2009, cc. 325, 810; 2010, cc. 136, 145; 2011, cc. 138, 739; 2015, cc. 490, 768; 2016, cc. 296, 361.