Establish Data Analytics, Transparency, and Accountability (DATA) Division.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Mary Belk and 6 co-sponsors

Reestablishes and funds a Legislative DATA Division to centralize data analytics and oversight, requiring agencies to share records and provide access with $2M appropriated.

Passed 1st Reading

#appropriations;auditing&audits;budgeting;data&recordssystems;generalassembly;informationtechnology;public;records

Summary — HB 917: Establish Data Analytics, Transparency, and Accountability (DATA) Division

Status: Passed 1st Reading (read 4/29/2025); Introduced 11/12/2024
Subject areas: Appropriations; Information technology; Records & data access; Legislative operations; Oversight

Purpose
- Reestablish and fund a legislative Data Analytics, Transparency, and Accountability (DATA) Division within the General Assembly to centralize data analysis, improve transparency and oversight, and replace references to the former Program Evaluation Division.

Key provisions
- Reenact/restore statutory authority: Reenacts statutes in Chapter 143E and Article 7C of Chapter 120 and related G.S. provisions to reestablish the Division and its authorities.
- Access to agency data and systems: Requires state departments, agencies, and institutions to provide the Legislative Services Office and the DATA Division (alongside certain other legislative divisions) requested records, access to facilities, personnel, and electronic databases, except where prohibited by federal or state law.
- BEACON/HR access limits: Access to the State payroll system (BEACON/HR) by the DATA Division is limited to the Division Director and two employees designated by the Director (other legislative divisions access via Fiscal Research).
- Reporting and oversight roles: Adds the DATA Division as a recipient of multiple agency reports (e.g., Global TransPark annual report; Department of Administration real property and planning reports) and requires agencies to furnish information requested by the Division.
- Health information aggregation: When requested by specified legislative directors, entities operating the HIE Network must provide aggregated analyses to the DATA Division; prior to release, personal identifiers must be redacted consistent with HIPAA de‑identification standards (45 C.F.R. §164.514).
- Whistleblower protections: Expands statutory whistleblower reporting protections to cover employees who report to the DATA Division.
- Statutory language updates: Requires the Revisor of Statutes to replace references to “Program Evaluation Division” with “Data Analytics, Transparency, and Accountability Division.”

Fiscal impact
- Appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the General Assembly for FY 2025–2026 in recurring funds to reestablish and operate the DATA Division.

Effective date and timing
- Act becomes effective July 1, 2025. Certain reporting-related provisions apply to reports due on or after that date.

Who is affected
- General Assembly (legislative staff and committees), state executive agencies required to share data, entities subject to report submissions (e.g., Global TransPark Authority, Department of Administration), operators of the HIE Network, and state employees (expanded channels for protected reporting).

Procedural note
- At the time of this summary the bill had passed its first reading and been referred for further consideration; appropriation and statutory changes are included in the first edition text.