The Senate Communication & Technology Committee held a public hearing today on the Office of Administration/Office for Information Technology’s IT strategic plan for 2012 to 2015. George White, the Chief Information Officer for the aforementioned offices, told the committee that, “for this administration, our vision is to establish the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a recognized leader in the use of information technology to enhance the delivery of government services, improve efficiency of operations, and reduce the cost of government.” Check the Capitol Toolbox for the full story later today.

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee met this morning with representatives from the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER) and the Pennsylvania Research and Education Network (PennREN) to discuss a recent federal grant award. The grant provides funding for the construction of a new fiber optic network to be utilized for educational, healthcare and economic development needs across the state. Most questions centered on whether the new network will compete with private companies offering broadband access. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee amended a bill this morning that would ban the implantation of identification devices under the skin. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Babette Josephs, was present to address the legislation with the committee. Some Senators  expressed concern that the language was not strong enough, particularly Senator Mensch who stated that medical implantations can improve a person’s quality of life, and that the government should not prevent parents from making decisions for their children. Rep. Josephs stressed that the language of the legislation should specifically address the implantation of devices for identification purposes, but was unopposed to amendments seeking to clarify the language further. The bill was reported as amended from the committee and will likely be debated on the Senate floor. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the complete story.