Emergency resource management system; Chief Information Officer, et al.; to develop.
Summary
SB 1387 directs the Chief Information Officer and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, working with the Department of Emergency Management, to develop an emergency resource management system for use during a declared state of emergency. The system must be able to combine information from multiple sources, including contractors and temporary staff, and provide real-time updates on operational status. The bill sets a completion deadline of November 30, 2025.
In practical terms, the measure is aimed at improving the Commonwealth’s ability to track and manage emergency resources, personnel, and operations during disasters or other declared emergencies. It does not create a new program for the public, but instead assigns a technology-development mandate to state agencies responsible for information systems and emergency management.
Impact
The bill would require VITA and the CIO to develop and implement a new statewide emergency resource management system, adding a specific technology and operational planning obligation to state government. It would affect how emergency-related information is collected, integrated, and updated across agencies and potentially among contractors and temporary personnel. The bill does not appear to amend existing substantive emergency powers, but it would likely influence emergency preparedness procedures, data-sharing practices, and agency workflows.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan or at least unanimous support in the recorded votes, advancing through committee and the Senate with no recorded dissent. The repeated 15-0, 40-0, and 39-0 votes suggest the proposal was viewed favorably as a practical government operations and emergency preparedness measure. No committee transcript objections are available in the provided record.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s text, any potential concerns would likely center on implementation details such as cost, procurement, data integration, cybersecurity, and whether the November 30, 2025 deadline is feasible. However, the available voting history shows no recorded opposition, indicating that such issues were not enough to generate visible disagreement in the committees or Senate floor votes.