Bill > HB155

This bill mandates that state agencies prioritize the use of "open source software," which is defined as software that allows unrestricted use, access to its source code, and the freedom to modify and distribute it, along with "open data formats," meaning data organized in a way that anyone can use it without fees. The bill requires state agencies to maintain an inventory of their software, noting whether it's proprietary or open source and uses restricted or open data formats, and directs the Department of Information Technology to assist agencies in adopting open standards for data processing systems, unless specific project needs or excessive costs prevent it. It also updates the definition of "state agency" to explicitly include the legislative branch, while still exempting the judicial branch, and repeals the "information practices act," which was a previous law governing how state agencies handled information.