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GOVERNOR GLENDENING, SPEAKER TAYLOR, PRESIDENT MILLER ANNOUNCE BOLD PLAN TO STRENGTHEN MARYLAND'S POSITION IN THE HIGH-TECH ECONOMY Governor, Leaders Propose 12-Point Technology Package to Protect Businesses and Expand E-Commerce; Provide Security and Guarantee Privacy for Families; Make Maryland National Leader in Delivering Government Services Over the Internet ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 14, 2000) - Declaring that Maryland's future prosperity depends on strengthening the State's position in the high-tech economy, Governor Parris N. Glendening today joined House Speaker Casper R. Taylor, Jr., and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. to announce a bold technology agenda which aims to make Maryland the leading e-commerce and digital state in the nation. The Governor and the legislative leaders proposed a broad and innovative 12-point technology plan for this year's General Assembly that will protect and expand Maryland businesses, provide security for families, guarantee the right to privacy for consumers, and make Maryland a national leader in delivering government services over the Internet. The 12-point agenda (below this release) includes 5 initiatives sponsored by the Governor and 7 sponsored by the General Assembly. "Computers, technology, and information systems have been a powerful force behind our current record-breaking prosperity, and they will continue to drive the economy of the future," said Governor Glendening. "To ensure that our prosperity lasts throughout the 21st century, we must act now to strengthen Maryland's position as a leader in the digital economy and the technological age. We will work with the General Assembly to pass this bold agenda, and protect and expand our businesses, guarantee consumers' right to privacy, protect our families from digital crime, and make Maryland the number one state in the nation for delivering government services over the Internet." "Maryland is not satisfied simply to prepare for the Internet revolution - we intend to lead the way," said Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Chair of the Cabinet Council on Business and Economic Development. "By removing obstacles and creating new opportunities within the Internet economy, this package will make Maryland THE state for Information industries. This package of recommendations and legislation will also open the doors of governance to our citizens and businesses and make our delivery of services simpler, quicker, and more responsive." The Governor and General Assembly's agenda will expand and protect Maryland businesses for the digital age by creating a broad framework to foster economic growth and prevent fraud. The Governor's plan will create the eMaryland initiative, which will brand Maryland as a national leader in the new "netcentric" economy. The legislation will form a CEO Board of Advisors to advise the Governor and the Information Technology Board on their vision for the future of the Internet, and to recommend ways to improve Maryland's status as an e-commerce leader. The Governor's eMaryland initiative will also expand the Internet Technology Investment Fund to $10 million to provide for Application Service Provider (ASP) projects, which will enable State agencies, public education facilities, and Internet start-ups in university sponsored incubators to offer their services more cheaply and efficiently. The Governor also proposed restructuring the Information Technology Board to include additional private sector leadership, including representatives from high-technology and telecommunications firms, and other individuals with expertise in technology issues. To prepare Maryland for the digital economy, members of the General Assembly will introduce legislation to expand e-commerce by providing State aid to enable start-up and other technology companies to grow in Maryland. In addition, the legislative leaders announced that they will introduce legislation to protect businesses from electronic fraud and incorporate -commerce into everyday business activities, by providing legal recognition to contracts, electronic signatures, and other transactions conducted on-line. The Governor and the Assembly will also act to protect the intellectual capital of software companies, crack down on piracy, and regulate unsolicited mass emails, known as"spamming". "It's essential that we recognize this trend toward e-commerce and provide Maryland with the necessary tools to be a leader in the technological arena," said President Miller. "The measures that we adopt during the next 90 days will provide incentives to the business community and protections for Maryland's citizens." "These technology proposals will enable Maryland, already the biotech capital of the world, to become the electronic commerce and information technology capital of the nation as well," said Speaker Taylor. The technological agenda will also protect Maryland families and consumers from the potential dangers of the Internet. The Governor and the leaders announced a comprehensive plan to protect children and families from computer-related crimes. The Governor will introduce legislation to strictly prohibit the unauthorized access to, or the destruction of, individual computers or computer-related equipment or software. The General Assembly will introduce legislation to enable law enforcement to fight digital crime, including expanding Maryland's strict anti-child pornography laws to Internet use. In addition, the Governor will propose legislation to expand Maryland's existing Privacy Principles to Internet users, which will protect citizens' right to privacy when they are receiving State services on-line. Finally, the Governor announced that he would introduce legislation to make Maryland the national model for delivering government services over the Internet. The legislation will require State agencies to make all of their services available to citizens on-line within a specific time frame: 50% by 2002, 65% by 2003, and 80% by 2004. Today, under 15% of services are available on-line. ### QUOTES SUPPORTING GOVERNOR'S AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S TECHNOLOGY AGENDA Brian R. Stauffer, Chairman, CyberSystem Technologies, Inc.: "Maryland is once again leading the Nation by pioneering the integration of what may be called the 'Golden Resource Triangle" -- combining the resources of Higher Education, Industry and State Government to meet the challenges of the new electronic world. In doing so, the State of Maryland will be known as a rich resource for highly skilled technology workers, developing Maryland as the place of choice to grow a business and raise a family. "We at CyberSystem, a Maryland-based electronic commerce services company, applaud this intiative and commit to helping make it work. E-Maryland marks the beginning of a State-wide effort to provide the workforce, infrastructure, services and business climate that will propel the growth and enrich the lives of all Marylanders. From the Eastern Shore to the far reaches of our great western counties, classrooms and, businesses will connect through high speed networks to access the world of information, goods and services essential to a thriving Maryland." Colonel David B. Mitchell, Superintendent of Maryland State Police: "Working through the Information Technology Board, the Internet-based crimes subcommittee has been focused on developing legislation that will strengthen computer crimes laws and provide better protection for Maryland children, families, and businesses. This legislation provides a great opportunity to reduce the impact of child pornography, make business computer systems safer and hold offenders criminally and financially responsible for their actions." Bill O'Shea, Executive Vice-President and CEO of Lucent Enterprise Networks: "Lucent Technologies is proud to be a part of this exciting initiative to make the State of Maryland a preeminent force in the rapidly emerging world of eBusiness. As we build next generation communications networks that help enterprises conduct business in new ways, we look forward to our continued association with the State and the University of Maryland, and to helping them maintain their technology leadership." Emily Hackett, State Policy Director of the Internet Alliance, the premier organization of Internet policy professionals representing the Internet online industry on the state, federal and international levels: "Maryland will be the first state in the nation to post its privacy policies on its websites and citizens will have the knowledge that their personal information is protected and secure. This will serve to increase the confidence and trust that is crucial to the continued growth of the Internet." Masood Jabbar, president of Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Computer Systems business unit: "Governor Glendening's and the General Assembly's vision of how the Internet will impact society in developing new and profound ways to integrate communities, educate our children, advance global commerce and support and develop government is shared by Sun. We applaud Maryland and the Governor for moving aggressively to establish the State as a leader in the rapidly emerging Internet economy." ### Our 12-point package:
GOVERNOR'S INITIATIVES
GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S INITIATIVES
Contact:
Michelle Byrnie
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