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COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 06/24/2024-SPECIAL ORDERED TO THE FLOOR 05/20/2024-REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY BILL NO. 35-0236 Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands February 28, 2024 An Act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code adding a new chapter 33A to enact the “21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA)” to improve governmental agency digital services, and for other purposes PROPOSED BY: Senators Samuel Carrión, Angel L. Bolques, Jr., and Carla J. Joseph WHEREAS, the Legislature of the Virgin Islands finds and declares that: 1 (a) ensuring the Virgin Islands’ global leadership position in technology and electronic 2 government services requires an approach that narrows the growing gap between the digital 3 demands of citizens and the methods by which the Government provides digital services to the 4 Territory; 5 (b) the enhancement of citizen-facing digital experiences can change the paradigm for 6 the delivery of government services and dramatically reduces the cost of government 7 operations; 8 (c) many government websites are not equipped to provide an enhanced experience to 9 the growing number of citizens who access government services through a mobile device; 10 2 (d) the Government lags far behind the private sector in providing a modern, seamless, 1 personalized, and consistent digital experience that provides useful information and services to 2 citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders; 3 (e) the implementation of modern customer service experiences, such as citizen- 4 centric design, comprehensive self-service capabilities, and uniform mobile rendering will be 5 key to facilitating the transition from an analog, paper-based government to a digital 6 government that delivers information and government services in an efficient and effective 7 manner; 8 (f) transitioning from paper processes to adaptive and intuitive digital forms would 9 significantly improve government services; and 10 (g) all government websites should be accessible to individuals with disabilities; Now, 11 Therefore, 12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 13 SECTION 1. Title 3 Virgin Islands Code is amended by inserting a chapter 33A, which 14 reads as follows: 15 “Chapter 33A. 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act 16 § 891. Short Title 17 This chapter may be cited as the “21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act” or the 18 “21st Century IDEA”. 19 §892. Definitions 20 As used in this chapter: 21 (a) “Director” means the Director of the Bureau of Information Technology within the 22 Office of the Governor. 23 (b) “Agency” means any department, office, board, commission, bureau, or division. 24 3 (c) “Legacy website" means a website that still uses frameworks or techniques that 1 have been superseded by newer code and methods in modern sites. 2 § 893. Website modernization 3 (a) An agency that creates a website or digital service that is intended for use by the 4 public, or conducts a redesign of an existing legacy website or digital service that is intended 5 for use by the public, shall ensure to the greatest extent practicable that any new or redesigned 6 website, web-based form, web-based application, or digital service: 7 (1) is accessible to individuals with disabilities; 8 (2) has a consistent appearance with standards to be developed by the Bureau of 9 Information Technology; 10 (3) does not overlap with or duplicate any legacy websites and, if applicable, 11 ensure that legacy websites are regularly reviewed, eliminated, and consolidated; 12 (4) contains a search function that allows users to easily search content intended 13 for public use; 14 (5) is provided through an industry standard secure connection; 15 (6) is designed around user needs with data-driven analysis influencing 16 management and development decisions, using qualitative and quantitative data to 17 determine user goals, needs, and behaviors, and continually test the website, web-based 18 form, web-based application, or digital service to ensure that user needs are addressed; 19 (7) provides users of the new or redesigned website, web-based form, web-based 20 application, or digital service with the option for a more customized digital experience 21 that allows users to complete digital transactions in an efficient and accurate manner; and 22 (8) is fully functional and usable on common mobile devices. 23 (b) The head of each agency that maintains a website or digital service that is made 24 available to the public shall: 25 4 (1) review each website or digital service; and 1 (2) submit to the appropriate legislative committee, a report that includes: 2 (A) a list of the websites and digital services maintained by the agency that 3 are most viewed or utilized by the public or are otherwise important for public 4 engagement; 5 (B) from among the websites and digital services listed under subparagraph 6 (A), a prioritization of websites and digital services that require modernization to 7 meet the requirements under subsection (a); and 8 (C) an estimation of the cost and schedule of modernizing the websites and 9 digital services prioritized under subparagraph (B). 10 (c) The head of each agency shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that any 11 intranet established after the effective date of this chapter conforms to the requirements 12 described in subsection (a). 13 (d) The head of each agency shall: 14 (1) report annually to the Director on the progress of the agency in implementing 15 the requirements described in this section for the previous year; and 16 (2) include the information described in paragraph (1) in a publicly available 17 report that is required under 3 V.I.C. § 61(a). 18 § 894. Digitization of Government Services and Forms 19 (a) The Director shall issue guidance to the head of each agency that establishes a 20 process for the agency to: 21 (1) identify public non-digital, paper-based, or in-person government services; 22 and 23 (2) include in the budget request of the agency: 24 5 (A) a list of non-digital services with the greatest impact that could be made 1 available to the public through an online, mobile-friendly, digital service option in 2 a manner that decreases cost, increases digital conversion rates, and improves 3 customer experience; and 4 (B) an estimation of the cost and schedule associated with carrying out the 5 modernization described in subparagraph (A). 6 (b) The head of each agency shall regularly review public-facing applications and 7 services to ensure that those applications and services are, to the greatest extent practicable, 8 made available to the public in a digital format. 9 (c) The head of each agency shall ensure that any paper-based form that is related to 10 serving the public is made available in a digital format that meets the requirements described 11 in section 893(a). 12 (d) If the head of an agency cannot make available an in-person government service, 13 form, or paper-based process in a digital format, the head of the agency shall document: 14 (1) the title of the in-person government service, form, or paper-based process; 15 (2) a description of the in-person government service, form, or paper-based 16 process; 17 (3) each unit responsible for the in-person government service, form, or paper- 18 based process and the location of each unit in the organizational hierarchy of the agency; 19 (4) any reasons why the in-person government service, form, or paper-based 20 process cannot be made available; and 21 (5) any potential solutions that could allow the in-person government service, 22 form, or paper-based process to be made available, including the implementation of 23 existing technologies, procedural changes, regulatory changes, and legislative changes. 24 6 (e) Each agency shall maintain an accessible method of completing digital services 1 through in-person, paper-based, or other means, such that individuals without the ability to use 2 digital services are not deprived of or impeded in access to those digital services. 3 § 895. Customer Experience and Digital Service Delivery 4 The head of each agency, or a designee, shall: 5 (1) coordinate and ensure alignment of the internal and external customer experience 6 programs and strategy of the agency; 7 (2) coordinate with the management leaders of the agency, including the Chief 8 Information Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, and any program manager, to ensure proper 9 funding to support the implementation of this chapter; 10 (3) continually examine the digital service delivery strategy of the agency to the public 11 and submit recommendations to the Director of the Bureau of Information Technology 12 providing guidance and best practices suitable to the mission of the agency; 13 (4) using qualitative and quantitative data obtained from across the agency relating to 14 the experience and satisfaction of customers, identify areas of concern that need improvement 15 and improve the delivery of customer service; 16 (5) to the extent practicable, coordinate with other agencies and seek to maintain as 17 much standardization and commonality with other agencies as practicable in implementing the 18 requirements of this chapter, to best enable future transitions to centralized shared services. 19 § 896. Standardization 20 (a) Each agency shall, to the extent practicable, seek to maintain as much 21 standardization and commonality with other agencies as practicable in implementing the 22 requirements of this chapter to best enable future transitions to centralized shared services. 23 7 (b) The chief information officer of each agency, or a designee, shall coordinate the 1 implementation of the requirements of this chapter, including the development of standards and 2 commonalities.” 3 SECTION 2. Title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 33A, section 893(a) must be 4 implemented not later than 180 days, section 893(b) not later than 1 year, and section 894(a) 5 not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this chapter. 6 BILL SUMMARY 7 This bill amends title 3 Virgin Islands Code adding a chapter 33A, which seeks to improve 8 website design and digital services for all government departments and agencies. Specifically, 9 the bill describes the requirements for new and existing website modernization; provides for 10 digitization of government services and forms; and to analyze customer experience and digital 11 service delivery. Section two sets forth when certain provisions of the law must be 12 implemented. 13 BR23-0069/February 6, 2023/HLF/Revised February 27, 2023 14