This section defines several terms used in the chapter, including committee, cybersecurity, information technology, office, secretary, state agencies, technology contract, and telecommunications equipment or services.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) COMMITTEE. The Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee on Information Technology. (2) CYBERSECURITY. The protection of critical infrastructure, data, and digital networks through the implementation of security measures, risk management processes, disaster recovery, business continuity, and incident response protocols to safeguard against cyber threats. (3) ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT. Any transmission medium, switch, instrument, network node, inside wiring system, wireless system, fiber-optic system, or other facility which is used, in whole or in part, to provide any transmission, communication, or processing of information. (4) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. All forms of automated data processing, communications systems, subsystems, or interconnected systems and services, computer networks, electronic information systems and related information, databases, equipment, goods, and services used for gathering, storing, transmitting, retrieving, manipulating, moving, controlling, managing, displaying, interchanging, receiving, processing, or protecting of information. (5) OFFICE. The Office of Information Technology. (6) SECRETARY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY or SECRETARY. The chief administrative and executive officer of the Office of Information Technology who is also known as the Chief Information Officer of the state. (7) STATE AGENCIES. All departments, agencies, offices, boards, commissions, bureaus, and authorities of state government. The term shall not include counties, municipalities and their instrumentalities, the Alabama State Port Authority, the State Department of Education, the Retirement Systems of Alabama, or institutions of higher education governed by a separate board of trustees, although these entities and institutions may enter into cooperative agreements and contracts related to information technology efforts with the state information technology system. (8) TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT. A contract entered into by any state agency concerning information technology, cybersecurity, electromagnetic transmission equipment, or telecommunications equipment, systems, or related services. (9) TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, SYSTEMS, OR RELATED SERVICES. Includes all of the following: a. Devices including, but not limited to, telephone instruments, modulators, headsets, and coders, used to convert voices, voice information, or digital data into a form suitable for transmission by electronic, electric current, electromagnetic wave, or any technological means from one point to another point. b. Devices including, but not limited to, telephone receivers, demodulators, and decoders, used to receive voices, voice information, or digital data in a form suitable for converting this information into usable form by an electronic, electric current, electromagnetic wave, or any technological means. c. Wiring, waveguides, optical fibers, wireless, or other physical means used to convey electric currents or electromagnetic waves containing voice information or digital data. d. Switches, wireless access points, routers, virtual private networks, network concentrators, firewalls, nodes, branch exchanges, software, and other devices used to selectively interconnect devices which use electric current or electromagnetic waves for the purpose of communicating voice signals or digital data from one point to another point. e. Maintenance of the types of devices and means listed in paragraphs a. through d. and all consulting, designs, implementation, customization, or management services related to those devices, their interconnection, and their use.