BOSTON – At the request of Governor Deval Patrick, Senator Brian A. Joyce joined him for the signing of a $929 million Information Technology Bond Bill that contained key provisions authored by Joyce that will save taxpayers $272 million, while at the same time will create a matching grant program to provide enhanced IT and broadband access for public schools across the state and will reform the IT project selection and procurement process to guard against waste.
“This legislation will ensure that our schools can implement technology upgrades to prepare our children for college and beyond while modernizing the state’s technology infrastructure and enacting the reforms needed to help protect taxpayers against expensive and broken IT projects,” said Joyce. “I thank the governor and his administration for their support of this important bill.”
While in the Senate Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets chaired by Sen. Joyce, the bill was changed to enact numerous reforms designed to eliminate costly and ineffective IT projects. Additionally, language was added to create a $38 million competitive, matching grant program administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Information Technology Division to provide for enhanced IT infrastructure and increased broadband access for students statewide. The legislation also saves taxpayers an estimated $272 million by restructuring the terms of the bonds.