Title 42
State Affairs and Government

Chapter 165
Rhode Island Longitudinal Data System Act

§ 42-165-5. Governing board.

(a) Composition of board. The RILDS will be governed by the Rhode Island longitudinal data system governing board (the board).

(1) The board shall be composed of:

(i) The director of the department of administration or designee who serves as one co-chair;

(ii) The directors of any participating agencies as described in § 42-165-3 and § 42-165-6, or their designee;

(iii) The director of the office of management and budget or designee;

(iv) The chief digital officer or designee;

(v) The director of the center, as set forth in § 42-165-7;

(vi) The secretary of health and human services or designee; and

(vii) The commissioner of postsecondary education who serves as one co-chair.

(2) The board shall be overseen by two co-chairs. As co-chair, the director of administration or designee shall be responsible for overseeing and directing the policy duties and responsibilities of the board. The other co-chair shall be the commissioner of postsecondary education who shall be responsible for overseeing, supervising, and directing the operational duties of the center and its personnel.

(b) Powers and duties. The board shall:

(1) In consultation with the center and in accordance with federal and state privacy law, approve policies regarding how data requests from state and local agencies, the Rhode Island general assembly, universities, third-party researchers, and the public will be managed;

(2) In consultation with the center, approve policies regarding the publishing of reports and other information that should be available to public stakeholders;

(3) Approve standards implemented by the center for the security, privacy, access to, and confidentiality of data, including policies to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-42-38, 20 C.F.R. § 603.1 et seq., and any other privacy measures, as required by law, state policy, or the board;

(4) Perform other functions that are necessary to ensure the successful continuation, management, and expansion of the RILDS;

(5) Establish a data governance committee to work with the center on an ongoing basis to among other responsibilities, approve data requests;

(6) Oversee and collaborate with the data governance committee and the center as set forth in § 42-165-7; and

(7) By November 1, 2023, provide a plan to the governor, the house, and the senate on how to establish a statewide integrated data system. The plan should consider elements such as:

(i)  The role an IDS can play in improving the operation of programs; reducing fraud, waste, and abuse; and establishing a state culture of program evaluation;

(ii)  Providing state agencies with evaluation services and providing state analysts access to data based on their role;

(iii)  Providing researchers with access to state data;

(iv)  The importance of data privacy and security;

(v)  The importance of public transparency and the role of the state transparency portal;

(vi)  The creation of a state chief data officer;

(vii)  Sustainable funding and governance for the IDS;

(viii)  The role of data federation; and

(ix)  The timeline for implementing the IDS.