South Carolina has eye on a chief technology officer
Governor proposes the position to coordinate the state's disjointed technology efforts
South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges recently proposed in his budget $500,000 for a chief technology officer who would help create a centralized technology planning strategy for state government
"The primary responsibility for this office will be to assist the governor and the General Assembly in studying, developing and assessing public policy and legislation technology as it relates to state government," Hodges said.
Currently, state agencies handle information technology planning and policy development along with three separate IT and research councils. The CTO position would coordinate responsibilities among these groups and create a more centralized planning strategy for state government.
"The key tasks of the CTO are to work with the business and legal community to revise the legal framework that will allow technology-intensive industry to flourish in our state and to work with all levels of the education community; to advocate the enhancement of technology infrastructure, curriculum and training resources; and to promote our public/private collaborative to ensure that businesses have access to high-speed Internet," Hodges said.
In other IT news, Hodges also proposed $500,000 of the state's tobacco settlement funds be used to create a technology capital seed fund to assist small businesses in the state.