Members of the Arizona House of Representatives had a second chance to take a simple step to protect students’ privacy but passed on Wednesday when they voted along party lines to kill HB2451. House Speaker JD Mesnard joined with Democratic lawmakers in rejecting the bill proposed by Rep. Bob Thorpe on behalf of concerned parents.
HB2451 was proposed by Thorpe based on to the Auditor General’s finding that the state’s school districts have failed to change passwords putting students’ sensitive information at risk.
Thorpe, who has over 20 years of professional Information Technology experience and who served as Vice Chairman of the Technology and Infrastructure committee and on DOA’s ITAC committee, was allowed to bring the bill back for reconsideration after it failed in February. At the time, lawmakers said they didn’t understand what the purpose of the bill was, but after hearing from parents they understood the importance and would support the common sense, cost free bill.
One lawmaker claimed that she rejected the bill because it was “unnecessary,” because “IT departments already do this.” She then stated that if lawmakers want “to protect student data, they should fund the ADE database that is partially done.”
The lawmaker was referring to a campaign by Superintendent Diane Douglas to increase the Arizona Department of Education’s budget. Douglas claims that the governor’s current budget does not cover the work needed on the ADE’s IT system. Douglas claims in a recent press release that if the ADE did not get the funds “… we cannot promise our award-winning IT staff that they will have a job on July 1, they will leave to take advantage of the booming IT market in Phoenix.”
Due to the chaotic atmosphere at the ADE, staff have been fleeing. Douglas’ Chief of Staff Michael Bradley, contacted the ADI earlier this month to explain that the ADE could not timely process formal Requests For Information (RFI) because the ADE has lost a majority of its legal staff.
Douglas squandered thousands of dollars on travels across the state on her “We are Listening Tour” designed to rehabilitate her reputation after she narrowly escaped a recall effort shortly after taking office.
HB 2451 provisions:
1. Requires the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to ensure that all state and school computers use industry-standard systems to verify that:
a. Passwords are strong and regularly updated; and b. Identifying information and personal identifying information are secured against compromise and encrypted if possible. (Sec. 1)
2. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1) Current Law State agencies are required to develop and establish procedures that prevent entity identifying information or personal identifying information from being accessed, viewed or acquired unless authorized by law (A.R.S. § 18-522).
| ALLEN J | N | ALSTON | N | ANDRADE | N | BARTON | Y | |||
| BENALLY | N | BLANC | N | BOLDING | N | BOWERS | N | |||
| BOYER | Y | BUTLER | N | CAMPBELL | Y | CARDENAS | N | |||
| CARTER | Y | CHÁVEZ | N | CLARK | N | CLODFELTER | Y | |||
| COBB | N | COLEMAN | Y | COOK | Y | DESCHEENIE | N | |||
| ENGEL | N | EPSTEIN | N | ESPINOZA | N | FARNSWORTH E | N | |||
| FERNANDEZ | N | FINCHEM | NV | FRIESE | N | GABALDÓN | N | |||
| GONZALES | N | GRANTHAM | N | HERNANDEZ | N | JOHN | Y | |||
| KERN | Y | LAWRENCE | Y | LEACH | Y | LIVINGSTON | Y | |||
| LOVAS | N | MARTINEZ | N | MITCHELL | Y | MOSLEY | Y | |||
| NAVARRETE | N | NORGAARD | N | NUTT | Y | PAYNE | Y | |||
| POWERS HANNLEY | N | RIOS | N | RIVERO | Y | RUBALCAVA | N | |||
| SALDATE | N | SALMAN | N | SHOOTER | Y | SHOPE | Y | |||
| STRINGER | Y | SYMS | N | THORPE | Y | TOWNSEND | Y | |||
| UDALL | Y | UGENTI-RITA | Y | WENINGER | N | MESNARD | N |
No education activists registered opposition to the bill.
