Representative Steven S. Howitt supports $1.256B FutureTech Act bond bill to address the state’s information technology needs

Boston – State Representative Steven S. Howitt (R-Seekonk) recently voted to support the FutureTech Act, a $1.256 billion bond bill that will help to fund improvements to the Commonwealth’s information technology (IT) and cyber-security capabilities.

House Bill 4889, An Act to provide for the future information technology needs of Massachusetts, was negotiated by a six-member conference committee that worked to reconcile the differences between two earlier versions of the bill passed by the House on May 15 and by the Senate on June 6. The final conference committee report was enacted in both legislative branches on July 24 and is now before Governor Maura Healey for her review and signature.

Representative Howitt noted the initial IT bond bill was filed by Governor Healey on January 9 following an assessment conducted last year by the Office of Capital Planning within the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS). EOTSS worked closely with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) to identify the state’s IT capital project needs over the next five years and to determine the funding levels necessary to meet those needs, which are reflected in the bond bill.

According to Representative Howitt, the bond bill includes $150 million in capital funding authorizations to help municipal governments, as well as regional school districts and regional vocational technical high schools, to address cyber security threats and improve the security of critical technology infrastructure.

Representative Howitt said House Bill 4889 also provides funding to assist municipalities and tribal governments with building their fiber broadband infrastructure by authorizing $30 million in competitive matching grants through A&F. An additional $25 million in bond authorizations is included in the bill for the Department of Revenue’s Division of Local Services to fund the Community Compact Information Technology Grant Program, which assists cities and towns with their one-time capital needs, such as technology infrastructure and software.

Representative Howitt said House Bill 4889 also creates a new Information Technology Federal Reimbursement Fund, which will be administered by the secretary of EOTSS and dedicated to supporting health and human services-related information technology projects. An additional $25 million is allocated in the bond bill to help enhance the quality, efficiency, and delivery of state services to the public and the interactions between Massachusetts residents and state agencies.

Governor Healey signed the IT bond bill into law on July 29.