A1416

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman KEVIN P. EGAN

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

Requires Office of Information Technology to create platform to integrate multiple state websites into single centralized hub.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act creating Go NJ: The New Jersey Information Hub and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. New Jersey’s administrative State, which includes departments, agencies, authorities, and commissions among other governmental structures can be difficult to navigate.

b. This fragmentation impedes businesses, organizations, and individuals in the State in locating the resources required to assist with informational, regulatory, and compliance inquires.

c. Various elements of government, including business regulation; business start-up; commercial development; permitting; grants; tax forms and filing requirements; environmental regulation; health and safety; nonprofit activities; and economic development are not integrated in a manner which allows ease-of-use for individuals with varying degrees of technical expertise and subject-matter knowledge.

d. The Office of Information Technology is best positioned to develop and maintain a centralized portal that will enhance transparency, streamline information retrieval, and improve overall user experience.

2. a. The Office of Information Technology shall create Go NJ: The New Jersey Information Hub, an internet-based tool which shall provide the capability to access multiple platforms and tools across existing State political subdivisions, including, but not limited to, department, agency, authority, and commission websites and centralize search and access access to political subdivisions and their regulatory or public-service purposes.

b. The purpose of this hub shall be to provide a centralized tool for individuals, organizations, and businesses to access the full range of State government services and information available related to informational, regulatory, or compliance inquires.

c. The services and information available shall include, but not be limited to, business regulation; grants applications and information provided by the State or any political subdivision of the State; State and local taxation regulations; environmental requirements, health and safety; nonprofit activities; and commercial and residential development and construction.

d. To the extent possible, the technology design shall account for any system interdependencies across the multiple tools, websites, and systems to allow for a seamless user experience.

e. The system design shall accommodate both mobile device and traditional personal computer access requirements.

f. The system design shall accommodate a broad spectrum of users whose technical expertise shall include novice users.

g. The Office of Information Technology shall provide an assessment on the level of contractor or vendor costs required to complete any aspects of the system design.

3. The implementation of Go NJ: The New Jersey Information Hub shall not be construed to create any new regulatory, system design, or technology requirements on any politic subdivision the systems of which are part of any of the consolidated access tool or tools developed by the Office of Information Technology.

4. This act shall take immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Office of Information Technology to develop Go NJ: The New Jersey Information Hub.

The hub is an internet-based tool which will provide access to multiple platforms and tools across existing State political subdivisions, including, but not limited to, department, agency, authority, and commission websites and centralize access to political subdivisions and their regulatory or public-service purposes. The hub will act as the central access point for information related to the various functions of the State, including information related to business regulation, business start-up, commercial development, permitting, grants, tax forms and requirements, environmental, health and safety, nonprofit activities, and economic development.

New Jersey has a complex politic body structure, which includes departments, agencies, authorities, and commissions, as well as other political bodies, each with its own particular scope of responsibilities. The organizations typically have independent internet platforms which can cause confusion for users who are navigating through multiple websites while searching for information on related subjects. Go NJ: The New Jersey Information Hub will integrate the various websites and tools to create a search and access design to allow navigation across multiple organizations.