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SB 7026

Information Technology

2025 Regular Session

Create ASSET, a Cabinet-level agency to centralize Florida's IT governance and cybersecurity, absorb FLDS, and enforce statewide IT standards on all executive agencies by July 2026

Died in Messages, companion bill(s) passed, see SB 2500 (Ch. 2025-198), SB 2502 (Ch. 2025-199)
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Bill Summary · SB 7026

SB 7026 — Information Technology (summary)

Status: Died in Messages (companion bills passed — SB 2500, Ch. 2025-198; SB 2502, Ch. 2025-199)
Introduced: March 17, 2025
Primary subject: State IT governance, cybersecurity, public-sector IT workforce and procurement

Purpose / Intent

SB 7026 would create a centralized, Cabinet-level agency to consolidate enterprise IT governance and strengthen statewide cybersecurity, standardization, and program management. The bill aims to modernize how the State of Florida manages IT assets, projects, data, and risk by moving many functions out of the Department of Management Services (DMS) and the Florida Digital Service (FLDS) into a new Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology (ASSET).

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology (ASSET) as a Cabinet agency.
  • State Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves as ASSET executive director:
    • Nominated by a CIO selection committee;
    • Appointed and removed by a majority Cabinet vote;
    • Requires Senate confirmation.
  • Effective dates:
    • Except as provided, bill effective July 1, 2025;
    • Majority of ASSET operations become effective July 1, 2026.
  • Broad application: Beginning July 2026, ASSET standards and rules apply to all executive branch agencies; statutory exemptions for Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Financial Services, and Department of Legal Affairs are removed.
  • Organizational structure: ASSET organized into divisions/bureaus (agency operations, data, security, business analysis, QA, project and contract management, procurement, workforce development) and subject-matter consulting teams for program areas (health & human services, education, justice, transportation, agriculture, etc.).
  • FLDS transition: Non-operational FLDS functions (master data management, legacy system assessments, IT expenditure tracking, IT test lab, workforce training programs) move to ASSET; FLDS abolished June 30, 2026. FLDS would retain limited transitional cybersecurity and needs-assessment duties in FY 2025–2026.
  • Cybersecurity: Requires biennial agency cybersecurity risk assessments including vulnerability and penetration testing, with documented leadership acknowledgment of risks. Eliminates the Cybersecurity Advisory Council.
  • Data center and costs: Removes outdated statutory data center language; requires Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC) to meet ASSET standards and to provide projected statewide data center costs to the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget and the Legislature annually by November 15.
  • Policy review: A CIO policy workgroup must review ASSET’s structure/functions and submit legislative recommendations by December 1, 2025.

Who is affected

  • All executive branch state agencies (newly subject to ASSET standards after July 1, 2026)
  • DMS and FLDS (FLDS functions consolidated; FLDS abolished)
  • State CIO position and selection/oversight authorities (Governor’s Cabinet, Senate)
  • NWRDC, state IT vendors and contractors, and the state IT workforce (training and workforce development programs)
  • State budget (consolidation and new agency entail increased costs)

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • The bill was reported to have a significant fiscal impact on state expenditures (see Fiscal Impact Statement in the bill analysis).
  • Legislative history: Passed the Senate unanimously (36–0) on April 9, 2025, certified and sent to the House, then later marked “Died in Messages” on June 16, 2025. Companion/related budget enactments (SB 2500 and SB 2502) were enacted (Ch. 2025-198; Ch. 2025-199).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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