Bill > H2737

This bill establishes an "Innovative Communities Program" within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to connect startups with innovative technology solutions to municipalities. To qualify as an "Innovative Community," a municipality must pass a resolution accepting the program's principles, make non-personal public data available electronically, attend technology marketing events, and beta test at least one approved technology annually, sharing the results with other participating municipalities. The program, overseen by the Secretary of Administration and Finance in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, will contract with various state agencies and organizations to support municipalities and startups. The Secretary will develop educational programs for both municipalities on purchasing innovative technology from startups and for startups on navigating municipal procurement processes, including creating plain language summaries of procurement rules. The program will also organize marketing events, innovation competitions, and pilot projects, and provide grants and technical assistance to municipalities adopting approved innovative technologies. Additionally, the bill creates an advisory board composed of industry leaders and government representatives to guide the program and a special commission to investigate and study barriers to adopting innovative technologies in government procurement, with a report due by January 1, 2017.