House passes information technology bond bill

The House on May 15 passed a $1.23 billion information technology bond bill, known as the FutureTech Act, that aims to modernize the state’s IT and cybersecurity infrastructure.

The bill is a mix of 10- and 30-year bonds and uses an additional $400 million in anticipated federal funding. It includes funding for several municipal grant programs.

With previous IT bond acts set to be exhausted in fiscal 2025, Gov. Maura Healey filed the IT bond bill in January.

The bill contains funding for a number of technology projects, including artificial intelligence and emerging technology, as well as for upgrading and modernizing government information systems.

Included in the bill is:
• $30 million to support the Municipal Fiber Grant Program
• $25 million to support the Community Compact IT Grant Program
• $150 million for local and regional IT security improvement projects
• $750 million to improve service delivery to the public, including $110 million for the Commonwealth Digital Roadmap, to standardize the user experience across state agencies and create new lines of constituent communication through applications such as live chat, and SMS technology

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.