Summary — HB 7018: "An Act Establishing a Test Bed Technologies Program"
Status: HOUSE REJECTED BILL (introduced 2025‑02‑20)
This summary is based on the bill title, subject classifications, and the legislative history provided. The full bill text was not supplied; where language is unavailable the summary indicates likely intent and typical provisions consistent with the title and subject tags.
Main purpose and intent
The bill’s stated purpose (by title) is to establish a “Test Bed Technologies Program.” Such a program would ordinarily create a formal state mechanism to pilot, evaluate, and accelerate deployment of emerging technologies in partnership with state agencies, vendors, and possibly academic or private-sector partners.
Confirmed procedural timeline (key dates)
- 2025-02-20: Referred to Joint Committee on Energy and Technology
- 2025-02-27: Public hearing held
- 2025-03-13: Joint Favorable Substitute reported
- 2025-03-14: Filed with LCO
- 2025-03-24: Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis (03/31/25)
- 2025-03-31: Favorable report; tabled for House calendar (House Calendar No. 241; File No. 359)
- 2025-05-31: House adopted House Amendment Schedule A and then rejected the bill
Current status: The House rejected the bill on May 31, 2025 (sequence suggests amendment adoption preceded rejection).
Likely key provisions (inferred from title and subject tags)
Because the full text is not provided, these are probable components consistent with the bill’s scope and subject classification:
- Creation of a Test Bed Technologies Program housed in or coordinated with state entities (e.g., Department of Administrative Services, Office of Policy and Management, or a new advisory body).
- Authority to run pilot projects (test beds) with state agencies to trial new technologies and electronic government systems.
- Procedures or procurement flexibilities for pilots (special contracting, limited‑scope procurements, or pilot exemptions).
- Establishment of an advisory board or stakeholder committee to guide selection and oversight of pilots.
- Provisions to involve small contractors and minority business enterprises in pilot opportunities (set‑aside or outreach provisions).
- Possible fee structures, data‑sharing rules for electronic government information, and reporting requirements to the legislature.
- Fiscal and procurement implications that would be assessed by OFA and reflected in implementation guidance.
Who would be affected
- State agencies participating in technology pilots
- Vendors, including small contractors and minority‑owned businesses seeking procurement opportunities
- Office of Policy and Management / Department of Administrative Services (administration/oversight roles)
- Citizens indirectly, through potential changes in state service delivery or technology use
Potential impact and considerations
- Could accelerate testing and deployment of new government technologies, improve procurement pathways for innovative vendors, and increase small/minority business participation.
- Fiscal impact and any fee mechanisms are unknown without bill text; OFA analysis would be necessary.
- Rejection in the House means the proposal did not advance in this legislative session unless reintroduced.
If you want, I can:
- Locate the bill’s full text and produce a line‑by‑line summary, or
- Prepare a hypothetical section‑by‑section model of what such a program statute would include for drafting or advocacy purposes.
