Policy Links

The United States Privacy Act of 1974
http://www.usdoj.gov/04foia/04_7_1.html
The Privacy Act of 1974 can "generally be characterized as an omnibus code of fair information practices which attempts to regulate the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personal information by federal government agencies. This biennial overview of the US Privacy Act is a discussion of the Act's disclosure provisions, its access and amendment provisions, and the agency record keeping requirements."

Personal Privacy Protection Law
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/pppl.html
This document lists pertinent questions that citizens may ask about access to their personal information as it relates to New York State agencies. Answers to questions such as, "Is there a central source or one state agency that keeps all the information about me?" are detailed in this document from the Committee on Open Government.

Technology Policy 97-4 Use of a Social Security Number
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/tp_974.htm
This document, from the NYS Office for Technology, discusses the policies developed to protect privacy as it relates to an identifier most often used in government and in business - your social security number (SSN). You will learn the history of the SSN and how it relates to the Privacy Act, the Tax Reform Act, the Omnibus Act, the Social Security Act, and the Welfare Reform Act within NYS. Most importantly, this document explains NYS government agency responsibilities when using social security numbers as part of their data.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/pl104191.htm
This Act, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, "was created to improve portability and continuity of health insurance, to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in health insurance and health care delivery, to promote the use of medical savings accounts, to improve access to long-term care services and coverage, and to simplify the administration of health insurance, and for other purposes."

Center for Technology in Government (CTG) privacy notice
http://www.ctg.albany.edu/ws_privacy_stmnt.html
CTG's Web site privacy notice provides information about the use of user's personal information collected on this site.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
This Web site, developed by the US Department of Education, allows students to fill out an online form for federal student aid. The site includes a Privacy Act and Security Information that describes the security features of the site, the risks of filling out an online form and the technologies used to ensure privacy.

Meta Data Standards and Registries: An Overview
http://stats.bls.gov/ore/pdf/st000010.pdf
This paper (in PDF format), generated by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, discusses the work that is being done to reach consensus on standardizing meta data and registries for organizing that meta data. It provides information about meta data and also goes in-depth on the impact a meta data registry can have on a statistical agency.

Dr. Tom’s Meta-Data Primer
http://www.imsproject.org/drtommeta.html
This paper, written by Dr. Thomas Wason, provides a basic understanding of meta data, how it is structured, what it means, and how it is represented. It also describes when there is sufficient meta data, and how meta data is scaleable and interoperable with other systems.

New York State GIS Data Sharing Cooperative
http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/datacoop.htm#about
The NYS GIS Data Sharing Cooperative was created to encourage public agencies in NYS "to share in the creation, use, and maintenance of GIS data sets at the least possible cost." This site provides information on the policies that govern the cooperative and data sharing in general.

National Archives and Records Administration—Electronic Records Management Regulation
http://www.nara.gov/nara/cfr/cfr1234.html
This NARA regulation "establishes the basic requirements related to the creation, maintenance, use, and disposition of electronic records. Electronic records include numeric, graphic, and text information, which may be recorded on any medium capable of being read by a computer and which satisfies the definition of a record."

New York State Records Retention and Disposition Schedules for State Agencies and Local Governments
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/services/local-gov/lgsched.htm
The General Schedule provides authorizations for state and local agencies within NYS to dispose of common administrative records following a minimum retention period. The schedule covers records series found in administrative activities ranging from affirmative action programs, to fiscal, personnel, and training programs. It covers records in all media, including paper, electronic, and microforms.

Technology Policy 97-1 Information Security Policy
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/tp_971.htm
This document, established by the NYS Office for Technology, discusses the "minimum security policies required by New York State to protect assets-information, computers, and networks in state agencies." Information custodianship and security are clearly defined. Information about copyright, records retention, privacy and confidentiality laws, classification of information, and information security functions are detailed.

EarthLink Acceptable Use Policy
http://www.earthlink.net/about/policies/use/
An example of Acceptable Use Policy that delineates the acceptable uses of the EarthLink network.

The US Office of Management and Budget's Management of Federal Government Information Resources Policy
http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/circulars/a130/a130.html
This report established a "uniform, government-wide information resources management (IRM) policy." The policy covers all facets of IRM - strategic planning, information collection and dissemination, records management, and IT acquisition. And they are applied to electronic and printed documents. The policy encompasses all information activities of Federal executive branch agencies. You may be able to apply various sections or principles to your agency's IRM strategy.

The Treasury Board of Canada's Blueprint for Renewing Government Services
This document presents an integrated approach to using information technology to renew government services on an enterprise-wide basis in Canada. The plan sets forth a vision to create government services that are affordable, accessible and responsive. It describes some goals including direct services to clients, standardized and interactive tools, and shared solutions and information. The descriptions of these goals can be useful to agencies that are redesigning services for the Web.

The NYS Office for Technology's "Managing New York State’s Technology: The Strategy for the Future"
http://www.irm.state.ny.us/strat/tforce.htm
This plan sets forth a strategy for using technology to improve the business of government in New York State. The document covers several goals: statewide policy and direction, statewide projects, data partnering, coordinated technology purchasing, and statewide network. The policy area covers such timely issues as standards, use of the Internet, and electronic data interchange. Government agencies in New York should be well-versed in these topics, since the direction the Office establishes will affect everyone.

New York State's Governor Pataki’s E-Government Initiative
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/ecommerce/index.htm
At the e-Commerce Kick-off meeting, Governor George E. Pataki signed the first electronic proclamation using a digital signature, declaring June 12, 2000 the official commencement of his e-Commerce Initiative in the creation of a digital "government without walls" in the Empire State. Read many articles and polices related to NYS's E-Government Initiative.

The State of Texas: Electronic Government Strategic Plan
http://www.dir.state.tx.us/egov/2001plan/egovplan.htm
This plan, "should assist state agency and local government planning efforts in achieving a more Internet enabled and customer-centric delivery of services with technology." "The vision, goals, and objectives outlined in this plan are designed to improve the coordination, planning, and implementation of electronic government services in Texas."

US Freedom of Information Act
http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/introduc.htm
Enacted in 1966, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) "generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, to obtain access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions of them) are protected from disclosure by one of nine exemptions or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions."

Electronic Freedom of Information Act
http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/foia_updates/Vol_XVII_4/page2.htm
All amendments to the statute made by the "Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996" are listed in this document. It includes all the information listed in the FOIA but includes electronic records. Updates to the Act are made in bold typeface.

Freedom of Information Law
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/textdocs/art6.txt
This policy, developed by the NYS Department of State, discusses the societal need for an open government where the public is aware of governmental actions. It details policies for New York State agencies to follow to be in accordance with this law. It profiles agency requirements regarding records retention, dissemination, and accessibility.

Committee on Open Government
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/mission.html
The New York State Committee on Open Government is "responsible for overseeing and advising with regard to the Freedom of Information, Open Meetings, and Personal Privacy Protection Laws. The Committee and the laws it oversees have gained national and international recognition as models for other jurisdictions."

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EEF)
http://www.eff.org/
EFF is a non-profit, non-partisan organization "working in the public interest to protect fundamental civil liberties, including privacy and freedom of expression in the arena of computers and the Internet."

New York State Government Information Locator Service (NYS GILS)
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/ils/
"The NYS GILS provides a single point of access to information services provided by New York State Government agencies, the State Legislature and the Judiciary." The New York State Library hosts the GILS site.

Global Information Locator Service
http://www.gils.net/
The Global Information Locator Service (GILS) adopts a mature international standard for searching labeled information. This standard developed primarily in the library and information services communities. Today, it is in worldwide use on the Internet and other networks, making GILS interoperable with the largest and most valuable information resources available anywhere.

NYS Office for Technology's Technology Policy 96-19 Data Sharing Among Agencies
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/96-19.htm
This document describes steps that NYS agencies should follow when considering sharing data electronically. In addition, this policy helps ensure a standard process of data sharing among NYS agencies. Each step describes a key component in data sharing and includes questions that can help an agency prepare and complete that step. Also included is a sample case study that describes one agency's initiative through each step.

NYS Office for Technology's Technology Policy 97-6 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Sharing
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/tp_976.htm
This policy discusses how electronic geographic data can be shared among federal, state, and local agencies. It reviews provisions that have been made to ensure that GIS data is shared in an appropriate and consistent manner. Custodianship, standards, maintenance, pricing, requests, and submissions are outlined.

Government Information Sharing: Calls to Action
http://www.nascio.org/nascioCommittees/ea/Perspectives-Volume2-Government.pdf
In March 2005, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers issued this report as a follow-up to their 2000 report "Toward National Sharing of Government Information." This report takes a different approach in that it covers a variety of lines of business and levels of government. The intention here is to look at the current state of information sharing, identify and discuss the major issues and outline the "calls to action" required to move forward.

Federal Digital Signature Guideline: Tutorial
http://www.abanet.org/scitech/ec/isc/dsg-tutorial.html
Brief tutorial of the American Bar Association regarding the nature and purposes of digital signatures.

Federal Digital Signature Legislation
http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/advocacy/infobank/esignguide.cfm
This article offers guidance on implementation of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign) law that grants electronic signatures and documents equivalent legal status with traditional handwritten signatures and was written in order to unify e-signature standards across all levels of government.

New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act
http://www.oft.state.ny.us/esra/ESRA_law.htm
The New York State Legislature passed the Electronic Signatures and Records Act (ESRA) on August 4, 1999. This legislation, which was signed by the Governor on September 28, 1999, establishes a new body of State law for technology. "It also provides a mechanism for state and local government agencies to develop government electronic commerce and other information technology-based systems that rely on electronic signatures and electronic documents, and gives these mechanisms the same force in law as paper-based signatures and records. This law provides that "signatures" made via electronic means will be legally binding just as hand-written signatures now are. The law also enhances and clarifies the authority of government to create and retain records in computer produced electronic form."

CTG Seminar Summary Report - What Rules Govern the Use of Information?
http://www.ctg.albany.edu/resources/htmlrpt/uig_seminar3/what_rules_govern_rpt.html
This seminar summary report details the third seminar in the Using Information in Government Program Seminar Series at the Center for Technology in Government. It summarizes the seminar's presentations and panel discussion, which "focused on the comprehensive policies that public sector agencies use to govern how, why, when, and by whom information is used." Presenters addressed such issues as ownership, stewardship, liability, privacy, and confidentiality as they relate to internal, cross agency, and public use of information. The summary report details principles of information use along with examples from projects in two state agencies.

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