Bill > HR6682

This bill, titled the Standard DATA Act of 2012, aims to create uniform rules for the electronic format and content of data used in administering certain human services programs under the Social Security Act. It mandates that the heads of departments or agencies responsible for programs like those under Titles III, IV, IX, XII, XVI, or Subtitle A of Title XX, and Section 511, must establish data exchange standards. These standards, developed in consultation with an interagency work group from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and considering state input, must be nonproprietary and interoperable, meaning they should be easily usable by different systems and not tied to a specific company's technology. The bill also requires the designation of data exchange reporting standards that are widely accepted, nonproprietary, computer-readable, consistent with accounting principles, and capable of being upgraded. These new standards are intended to improve data matching and interoperability, and the bill includes provisions for their effective dates and makes conforming changes to existing laws.