[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
BUT WITH THAT, THEN MY NAME IS NEHEMIAH FIFTH, THIRD ON THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.
AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING HERE TODAY, NOVEMBER 19TH AT 6:38 PM.
LIKE THE BEGIN AS WE NORMALLY DO WITH CITIZEN, RATHER WITH A ROLL CALL, EXCUSE ME.
UH, AND WE HAVE A ROBUST AGENDA, BUT IT'S NOT TOO FULL ELVIS, DENOUNCE MYSELF AND GIVE EVERY COMMISSIONER A CHANCE TO ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES IN THE DISTRICT THAT THEY'RE WITH.
AS I MENTIONED, MY NAME IS ME AND MY FITS THE THIRD, AND I WAS APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE.
UH, GO AHEAD AND PROCEED TO VICE CHAIR ALEXANDER.
THIS IS DAVID ALEXANDER, UM, IN DISTRICT FOUR.
AND, UH, BASED ON HIS, ON MY SCREEN, UH, COMMISSIONER REINHART.
HI, THIS IS MICHELLE REINHART.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT EIGHT THAT'S COUNCIL MEMBER PAGE ELLIS.
AND THEN, UH, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON MY SCREEN, NOW I HAVE COMMISSIONER UTES.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GATES.
UH, AND THEN I HAVE COMMISSIONER NICOLE THOMPSON, BEAVERS.
HELLO, THIS IS NICOLE THOMPSON BEAVERS AND I REPRESENT DISTRICT 10.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, NINE, I MEAN, I'M SORRY.
AND I HAVE COMMISSIONER ASSUME IT DASGUPTA.
THIS IS
UH, THAT COMPLETES OUR QUORUM.
UH, NOT PRESENTLY, UH, IN ATTENDANCE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER
ALTHOUGH SHE DID CONFIRM THAT SHE MAY JOIN US HERE SHORTLY SO THAT WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER AND WE BEGAN WITH CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMUNICATORS THIS WEEK.
THEN WE PROCEED TO THE APPROVAL
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – October 9, 2020 AND October 14, 2020]
OF THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 9TH AND OCTOBER 14TH, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WERE SENT.YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK, UH, BRIEFLY, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM ALREADY.
UH, WHAT I'LL BE LOOKING FOR IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES THAT SUBMITTED AND A SECOND ONE, UH, CHAMPIONS TO HAVE SEPARATE MOTIONS.
UH, I THINK THAT THEY DO NEED TO BE APPROVED INDEPENDENTLY.
UM, UNLESS I'M MISTAKEN, JESSE, I WAS ASKING JESSE FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
PROBABLY BE BEST TO HAVE THEM SEPARATELY JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY EDITS NEEDED TO ONE OR THE OTHER OR THE VOTES MIGHT DIFFER.
SO FOR THE SAKE OF PROCESS, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT NECESSARY, WE'LL GO IN AND APPROVE THEM INDEPENDENTLY.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 9TH, FIRST, UH, AND A SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 9TH FROM COMMISSIONER ABOUT SCOOP SAID, DO I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY.
WE HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 9TH AND THE SECOND ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES I SUBMITTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THEN WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED SIX TO ZERO FOR OCTOBER 9TH.
AND THEN WE PROCEED, UH, TO THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 14TH.
UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE SUGGESTION TO APPROVE THEM SEPARATELY.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 14TH AS SUBMITTED? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES ARE SECONDED.
I'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 14TH FROM COMMISSIONER GATES AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER
[00:05:01]
UP.I'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE, UH, RATHER A VERBAL VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 14TH AS SUBMITTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
IS ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, SO WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES, UNANIMOUSLY SIX.
SO NOW THE MINUTES FROM BOTH OF THE OCTOBER MEETINGS HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITH THAT, WE PROCEED TO
[2.b. Presentation on the City of Austin Information Security Office Projects (Shirley Erp – Chief Information Security Officer)]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF AND COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS.WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE TWO SEPARATE BRIEFINGS.
THE FIRST WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN INFORMATION SECURITY PROJECTS BY OUR NEW CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER, SHIRLEY EARTH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME FOR THERE'S A LITTLE CLOCK.
I HAVE THE OPTION TO DO VIDEO.
UM, CAN SOMEONE LOOK, STAFF HELP UP AND CONFIRM IF, UH, SHE HAS THE OPTION TO SHARE VIDEO FROM HER SCREEN? UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE, OR SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHARE HER SCREEN NOW, BUT WE WILL BE SHARING HER PRESENTATION FROM OUR END.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
WE READY TO GET STARTED? YES, MA'AM.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY AND I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE COMMISSION AND GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS IN INFORMATION SECURITY EXPERIENCE, UH, HEALTH, UH, STATE GOVERNMENT, CITY GOVERNMENTS, UH, FORTUNE 200 COMPANIES IN BOTH RETAIL BANKING AND, UH, BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK.
I'VE A, MASTER'S IN, UH, TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ALSO A LOT OF SECURITY, UH, PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, BASICALLY AN INTRODUCTION INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE.
WHAT WE DO, HOW WE'RE ORGANIZED, UM, WHAT OUR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 2021 HIGH-LEVEL PLAN IS.
UM, THE COMMISSION ASKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BLUE LAKES PROVIDE WHAT I KNOW AND, UH, MORE ABOUT HOW, UH, CTC CAN HELP WITH, UH, PROTECTING RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, FIRST AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR OFFICE.
UH, PLEASE KNOW THAT YES I HAVE JOINED THE CITY.
I STARTED AS A JUNE 21ST AND, UH, OUR INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM IS ALIGNED WITH FEDERAL, WITH STATE SECURITY, BEST PRACTICES.
AND YES, WE'RE INTERESTED IN THE PROTECTION OF INFORMATION, ASSETS, IT SYSTEMS AND PERSONAL DATA, INCLUDING HEALTH DATA, AND ANY KIND OF DATA THAT WE WOULD COLLECT ON INDIVIDUALS.
WE'RE VERY COLLABORATIVE AS AN OFFICE.
YOU GET MORE COOPERATION WITH BEING COOPERATIVE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE'S ASPECTS.
SO WE WORK WITH EACH OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL DEPARTMENT, THE, UH, PARTNERS, AND WE WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL ENTITIES ALL THE TIME.
UH, SO AS A PART OF OUR INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM, WE COVER BOTH SECURITY AND PRIVACY.
UM, SECURITY IS ABOUT THE, HOW WE CARE ABOUT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE DATA.
DO YOU TRUST THE DATA THAT, THAT WE WILL RECEIVE? IS IT SECURED FROM MANIPULATION AND AVAILABILITY? ARE THE SYSTEMS AVAILABLE WHEN WE NEED THEM INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS ENERGY AND WATER THAT WE PROVIDE THE RESIDENTS, UH, PRIVACY IS ABOUT THE, WHAT, UH, WHAT KIND
[00:10:01]
OF DATA WE'RE PROTECTING AND HOW WE PROTECT THAT.SO SECURITY AND PRIVACY GO HAND IN HAND NEXT LEVEL.
THE INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE IS DEFINED IN CITY CODE, AND THIS IS FAIRLY NEW.
WE BECAME A NEW OFFICE THIS FISCAL YEAR AND, UH, WE'RE, WE ARE DESIGNATED TO LEAD DIRECT THE CITYWIDE INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM.
THIS INCLUDES POLICY, OUR RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESSES, UH, CITYWIDE SECURITY, OPERATIONS, CITYWIDE SECURITY, ARCHITECTURE, INCIDENT RESPONSE, UM, OR HEAVILY INVOLVED IN RUNNING SECURITY, PRIVACY GOVERNANCE, AS WELL AS BEING INVOLVED IN OTHER IT GOVERNANCE OR INFORMATION GOVERNANCE, AND ALSO INVOLVED IN THE PRIVACY PROGRAM.
SO, UH, THE DUTIES, AS FAR AS OTHER DIRECTORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY ARE TO IMPLEMENT THE SECURITY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
AND THIS INCLUDES THE, UH, RESOURCE EXPENDITURES FOR IMPLEMENTING SECURITY REQUIREMENTS, BOTH SECURITY AND PRIVACY, PLEASE.
SO OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF THE CITY ARE LISTED OUT HERE ON THE LEFT SIDE.
AND, UM, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN FROM A SECURITY PRIVACY PERSPECTIVE, THE RISKS THAT THOSE SPACE IN DELIVERING THOSE, IT COULD BE THIRD-PARTY RISK, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, LOSS OF DATA, AND, AND JUST BEING, UM, PREPARED TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE CYBER THREATS.
WE DO THIS THROUGH A METHODOLOGY, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO MATURE OUR PROCESSES, PROTECT OUR DATA, HAVE CONTINUOUS MONITORING, AND ALSO BE COORDINATED IN INCIDENT RESPONSE.
NEXT SLIDE METHODOLOGY WE HAVE CHOSEN IS THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY NEST, WHICH IS ALSO ALIGNED WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK.
IT HAS FIVE FUNCTIONS, IDENTIFY KNOW YOUR ASSETS, RIGHT, PROTECT, UH, IMPLEMENT SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT THOSE DETECT.
UH, IF THERE'S A CYBER EVENT, BE ABLE TO DETECT THAT AND RESPOND.
IF THERE IS A CYBER, YOU CAN'T BE ABLE TO REACT TO IT, MITIGATE RISKS.
AND IF THERE ARE SYSTEMS IMPACT, RECOVER, RECOVER THOSE SYSTEMS BACK TO THEIR GOOD KNOWN STATE.
NEXT SLIDE WITHIN THE, UH, CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK ARE, UH, VARIOUS CATEGORIES.
AND WHILE THIS ENCOMPASSES OVER, I'D SAY 800 CONTROLS.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE CRITICAL CONTROLS, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY ON A RISK-BASED APPROACH WITH OUR SECURITY PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MAKES MOST SENSE SECURITY CAN BE EXPENSIVE.
AND SO THERE'S THAT BALANCE OF, UH, PROVIDING SERVICES BUT SECURE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR CRITICAL SERVICES.
SO, UH, WHAT DO WE HAVE PLANNED FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 21? UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR POLICIES AND STANDARDS CITYWIDE AND PRODUCE THOSE, PUBLISH THOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO DEPLOY SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS US, UM, MONITOR AND HAVE THAT CITYWIDE VIEW SO WE CAN DETECT, UH, CYBER THREATS AND ALSO RESPOND TO THEM.
AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT PROCESSES AND BUILD PROCESSES AND GUIDELINES TO HELP THE CULTURE UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT A SECURE SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
SOME OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 21 PLANS INCLUDE, OF COURSE, LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE POLICIES AND STANDARDS.
UH, WE, WE GROW THIS YEAR BY YEAR AND WE ALSO, UH, CONTINUE TO GROW OUR MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION.
WE HAVE, OF COURSE, SOME OF THIS ON ALREADY.
WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW THAT IN OUR CLOUD AREAS.
AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WHEREVER OUR DATA IS, IT IS PROTECTED BY A MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION IS SOME, A PASSWORD AND A TOKEN AND TOKEN THAT CAN BE DELIVERED BY YOUR PHONE OR TO A OUTSIDE EMAIL
[00:15:01]
OR, UH, UH, A TOKEN THAT YOU CARRY WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE ALSO IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT.UM, NO, YOUR PEOPLE ARE CONTROLLED THE ACCESS.
THEY HAVE NO MATTER WHERE THAT DATA IS BOTH ON PREMISES AND IN THE CLOUD, WHATEVER CLOUD SERVICES WE HAVE.
AND, UH, LOOK AT OUR DEFENSE AND DEPTH TECHNOLOGIES.
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGIES? AND AS WE MOVE MORE TOWARD A CLOUD TECHNOLOGIES, ARE WE PUTTING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGIES TO MONITOR AND RESPOND THERE AS WELL? AND THAT COVERS, UM, CYBER SECURITY MONITORING.
UM, WE WANTED TO KNOW A YODA TO KNOW ABOUT BLUE LEAKS AND, UH, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF WHAT WE KNOW PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT BLUE LEAKS THAT IS OUT THERE.
UH, OF COURSE THIS WAS A THIRD PARTY VENDOR COMPROMISED.
IT IMPACTED OVER 200 NATIONWIDE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF WHICH, UH, THE AUSTIN REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER WAS ONE OF THOSE.
AND, UH, THEY EXPOSED ON JUNE 19TH OVER 269 GIGS OF DATA OF LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA OF WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS, UH, INCLUDED, UH, PERSONAL DATA FROM OVER 700,000 POLICE OFFICERS.
NOW, UH, THE, A RECORD IS BOTH RECALL FOR SHORT AUSTRIAN REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER SPANS OVER 10 COUNTIES OF THE, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT HAS OWN PRIVACY OFFICER AND ITS OWN BOARD.
AND, UH, YES, THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS INVOLVED CONSULTING, UM, PLANNING ACTIONS IN WHICH WILL BE GOOD FOR THE CITY TO TAKE AS A RESULT OF THIS THIRD PARTY BREACH MIX-A-LOT.
AND THEREFORE, UH, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND DO IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION TO THOSE AT RISK IN THE REGIONAL AREA OF THESE COUNTIES COLLECTIVELY.
AND SO ON OUR WEBSITE, WE DID PUT NOTICE ABOUT THE BLUE LEAKS.
UM, THEY DON'T LOSS THE, A WEBSITE, THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR, MISSOURI WAS CUT, WAS SLOW TO PUT THE UNIFICATION APP, BUT WE WANTED TO PROTECT, UM, OUR, UM, CITIZENS AND OUR CLIENTS THAT WERE A PART OF THE DATA CENTER DATA COLLECTION.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE DID PUT UP A NOTICE FOR THAT THIRD PARTY BREACH NOT REQUIRED, BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY NEXT IS GO AHEAD.
WELL, I THOUGHT THERE WERE TWO OF THOSE SLIDES.
UM, THE COMMISSION ASKED HOW, UH, CTC COULD HELP AND, UH, KNOWING THAT YOU DO GET INVOLVED IN A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR DIFFERENT RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY, AS WELL AS, UH, INTERESTED IN INTERNET OF THINGS AND, UH, SMART CITIES AND, UM, ARTIFICIAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SECURITY GETS TOUGHER AND TOUGHER.
THE ATTACK SURFACES IN WHICH SOME OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES EXPAND.
AND IT INCLUDES PEOPLE SUFFERING NETWORKS PHYSICAL, AND, UH, SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS ARE BOTH IN THE CLOUD ON MOBILE PHONES.
AND SO WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE ASPECTS OF THAT SOLUTION IN A PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND SO ALSO THE ATTACK VECTORS THAT KEEP THE CYBERCRIMINALS KEEP GETTING CLEVER AND CLEVER EVERY YEAR, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATTACKS.
AND, UH, THEY TRY TO TARGET EACH OF THESE ATTACK SURFACES.
SO, UH, ON THE ONSET OF, OF A SALUTE, THEN WE WOULD JUST ASK THAT ALL SOLUTIONS INCORPORATE, UM, SECURITY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PUT THINGS OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, DO TELEHEALTH IN WHICH WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, A PRIVATE SPACE TO TALK WITH THEIR DOCTORS AS WELL.
SO ALL OF THESE ASPECTS ARE A CONSIDERATION
[00:20:01]
WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE PROPOSING DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES, NEXT SLIDE.AND SO THAT, THAT BOILS DOWN TO, UM, IN CONSIDERATION, CONSIDER THOSE NIST CONTROLS, MAKING SURE IT'S COMPLIANT WITH CONTROLS.
IT NEEDS TO, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S HIPAA DATA OR HEALTH DATA, THAT'S VERY STRINGENT CONTROLS.
AND THEN THE ARCHITECTURE OF THAT, I DO BELIEVE IN SEPARATION FROM RESIDENT SERVICES FROM CITY, UH, BUSINESS, WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY SERVICES DOWN, OR WE DON'T WANT ANY RESIDENTS, UM, PUTTING OUR, SAY OUR NETWORK ADDRESS AT RISK ON THE INTERNET BY, UH, ACCIDENTALLY GETTING COMPROMISED OR PUTTING INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPANNING THE REST OF THE INTERNET WHEN YOU GET, GET WHAT WE CALL BLACKLISTED IN WHICH WOULD HURT CITY SERVICES.
SO KEEP THE SEPARATION IN MIND AND, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, PHYSICAL PROTECTIONS OF WHERE WE PUT THAT TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR SECURITY SECURITY, ISN'T CHEAP, BUT, AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE IF YOU GET COMPROMISED WITH, UM, TRYING TO NOTIFY THOSE AND ALSO PROTECT THEM FROM, UH, THEIR PERSONAL INCOME, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED.
AND SO THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION THAT I HAVE FOR TEAM FOR YOU TODAY, YOUR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THOSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHIEFER, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS SUBMITTED ONLINE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU'VE, UH, GOTTEN ALL THAT.
YOU NEED TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVISE AND LET US KNOW IF THEY'VE GOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD NOT PHRASED ALREADY IN OUR LIST TO HER TO CHANGE 40 OVER BOTH.
AND THAT WAS MENTIONED IN CITY CODE, PLEASE LEAD MANAGE THE INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM, WHICH HAS THE POLICIES AND THE STANDARDS IN WHICH ARE REQUIRED FOR THE DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THEIR, UM, REVENUE GENERATING OR JUST GENERAL FUND.
BUT WE DO THAT IN VERY COLLABORATIVE WAY.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES WITH IMPLEMENTING THOSE CONTROLS, SOME OF THE TESTING, SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT.
AND SO WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE IMPACT BUSINESS, THAT WE AT LEAST TESTED AND GET THEIR INPUT.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES.
WE'RE PART OF THE IT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, AS WELL AS THE INFORMATION GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS DATA GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.
AND SO NOT ONLY BODIES, BUT WE, UM, A LITTLE QUESTION REGARDING LAST THING, THE BOOT, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A THREE PART QUESTION.
HIS WORD WAS THE RESULT OF THE LEAGUE.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW MUCH DID WE LOSE? WHO GOT AFFECTED? WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WERE THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT? AND THIRD, I NOTICED YOU SAID THAT YOU POSTED A WARNING ON YOUR WEBSITE, BUT THAT'S NOT A WAY THAT I PERSONALLY GO TO, AND I'M SURE MANY OTHERS DON'T.
SO DID YOU CONTACT THOSE WHOSE IDENTITY WAS COMPROMISED? SO, UM, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN ENTITY.
IT'S GOT ITS OWN, IT'S GOT ITS OWN PRIVACY OFFICER AND, UH, WHILE WE CONSULTED AND PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON WHAT THEY SHOULD DO, UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UM, A SEPARATE ENTITY IN WHICH THEY MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS BY STATE LAW, THE VENDOR WHO WAS FOR EACH THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MODIFICATION.
SO I DO LOOK AT THE AVERY, UH, WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND POSTING A NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE BREACH, UM, AND, AND TRYING TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS
[00:25:01]
OR IN THE REGIONAL AREAS OF THOSE 10 COUNTIES FOR A PLACE TO GO TO, TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF MARK? YEAH, I KIND OF POLITICALLY CHARGED QUESTION.
AND THAT IS, UM, YOU FEEL THAT
WE, UH, WE'VE ALREADY HAD VERY, VERY COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT.
UM, FROM MY SHORT EXPERIENCE, THERE ONLY BEEN THERE SINCE JUNE 1ST.
UH, WE ARE VERY COLLABORATIVE WITH LAW OFFICES LEGAL AND WE'RE COLLABORATIVE WITH THE CITY CLERK.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY PUT IN SOME PROTECTIONS TO MAKE SURE WITH COVID AND, AND ALSO SAFE WITH SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY.
WE ALWAYS SEE AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF CYBER TRAFFIC WITH NEAR CITY EVENTS.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER AND, UH, THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH HAS BEEN GOOD.
BUT IF I ALSO NEED TO TAKE A MORE, UM, WHAT DO YOU QUOTE, MANDATE AS FAR AS WE MUST DO THIS? I DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS I'VE JUSTIFIED WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS BEFORE WE JUST FLIP THE SWITCH AND WORK WITH THE IT, PEOPLE WHO IMPLEMENTED THAT, UM, DO YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY? YES.
SO SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE DIFFERENT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.
LIKE I BELIEVE LIKE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, THERE'S AN ELECTRICALS STANDARD WATER UTILITY STANDARD, AND THE POLICE HAVE A FEDERAL STANDARD ALSO, AND THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN LIKE GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WE CANNOT MAKE ALL OF THESE TOGETHER.
AND YOU SEEM TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THESE STANDARDS.
SO, UM, YOUR, YOUR, HOW SO THE CITYWIDE, UH, INFORMATION SECURE OFFICE AS THAT UMBRELLA STANDARD IN WHICH IT OPERATES MUCH LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THESE AREAS THAT HAVE MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS CAN DO OVERLAYS OR ADDITIONAL CONTROLS OVER WHAT WE HAVE, BUT OUR INTENT IS TO HELP THEM FROM AN HIGH LEVEL POLICY OR STANDARD REQUIREMENT, UH, TO HELP THEM MEET THAT COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS, UM, OF COURSE THEY THEY'RE AT, THEY CAN ADD TO, AND THERE'LL BE ART OF THE STANDARDS AND THE POLICIES WE PRODUCED AS WE MATURE THAT MODEL AS WELL.
THAT WAS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UH, IT DOES ACTUALLY TOUCH UPON, UH, SOMETHING WHICH I SUBMITTED, UH, AS A WRITTEN QUESTION PERTAINING TO ARCHITECTURE.
I'M REALLY CURIOUS, ESPECIALLY AS YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED GOVERNANCE, UH, THE COURSE IS A KEY FUNCTION OF YOUR OFFICE.
IF THERE'S BEEN ANY FORECASTING FOR THE ROLE THAT ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE AND MAPPING ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE THROUGHOUT THE CITY WILL PLAY.
UM, WE ARE THE SECURITY EXPERTS IN THE CITY.
UM, WE DO HAVE ARCHITECTURE OR ARCHITECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL WITH WE WORK WITH, WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN THERE'S DIFFERENT STRUCTURES, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THAT CITYWIDE VIEW AND, AND, AND MAKING SURE WE CAN MONITOR FOR CYBER THREATS, UM, NOT IN POCKETS, BUT OVERALL.
AND SO DEFINITELY THE DEFENSE IN DEPTH IN WHICH WE HAVE
[00:30:01]
THE TECHNOLOGIES WE'RE CHOOSING.I DO SEE US COMING TOGETHER MORE IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE THAT PICTURE EASIER AND ESTABLISHING A CITYWIDE CYBERSECURITY OPERATION CENTER IS VISION.
IF THAT VISION CAN ALLOW FOR REGIONAL PARTICIPATION, WHO CERTAINLY HAVE THAT IN MIND AS WELL.
UH, FIRST TAKE CARE OF THAT THE CITY MEANS, AND KNOWING WHEN SOMEONE'S PROBING US OR KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR AND WHO THAT MIGHT BE AND WHAT KIND OF, UH, TYPICAL THREAT INDICATORS OR TECHNIQUES THAT THEY MAY HAVE, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PREPARED FOR THEM OR IN ANY, UM, REALLY NATION, STATE SPONSORED ACTORS NOWADAYS WITH, UM, THE CYBER WORLD GETTING MORE COMPLEX.
UH, DO YOU HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCED A PERSONAL, UH, BY CHANCE WITH BADASS OR TOGA OR OTHER FRAMEWORKS FOR ARCHITECTURE? UM, NOT PARTICULARLY WITH THOSE, UM, I HAVE STAYED MAINLY IN THE CYBER SECURITY.
WELL NOW I'VE BEEN IN CYBERSECURITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
LIKE I SAID, I'VE WORKED WITH THE ISO 2,700 SERIES.
UH, I'VE WORKED WITH, OF COURSE, NIST.
I HAVE DONE DEPARTMENT, UH, DOD CONSULTING IT'S WELL, FORTUNE 200 COMPANY USING, YOU KNOW, NIST AND ISO STANDARDS.
SO THE PROGRAM IS VERY MUCH BUILT ON THAT.
THERE'S ALSO OTHER FORUMS THERE, THE OPEN APPLICATION SECURITY FORUM THAT IS VERY USEFUL FOR APPLICATION CODING.
SO WE USE A LOT OF THE MOVES IN WHICH TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE DEVELOP OUR STANDARDS.
NOT ONLY WHAT'S MENTIONED IN THE CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK, BUT WHAT IS ALSO A BEST PRACTICE FOR PROTECTING SOMETIMES SOME OF THOSE FRAMEWORKS BEHIND.
UM, AND, UH, YOU CAN SET A LOT OF THOSE BEST PRACTICES FROM THE ASSOCIATIONS I'M A PART OF IN THE CITY, WHICH INCLUDES OWASSO.
UM, THERE'S AN ISS A AND THERE'S OTHER ISC SQUARED.
SO I'M DEFINITELY INVOLVED IN ALL OF THOSE AND ENFOCAR, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, CO COLLABORATING WITH THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.
WELL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CHIEFER? OKAY.
WELL, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU IF I COULD TO JOIN US IN A WORKING GROUP SESSION WHERE WE COULD THE ASK, PERHAPS SOME MORE IN DEPTH QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS, UH, PUBLIC FORUM, UH, AND SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE HERE, AS YOU'RE CLEARLY GETTING FAMILIARIZED WITH EVERYTHING IN THE CITY AND, AND NEW TO THE ROLE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU TOO FOR FAR.
AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN PERSON SOMEDAY.
OKAY, SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA, UH,
[2.c. Update on Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs (TARA) Legislative Summary (John Speirs, TARA)]
TO OUR NEXT ITEM HERE FOR STAFF AND COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS, UH, ITEM TWO C, AND UPDATE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, UH, LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY FROM PROGRAM DIRECTOR, JOHN SPHERES.CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
UM, MY NAME IS JOHN SPEARS, A PROGRAM MANAGER AND THE CITY'S OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS.
I AM HERE TO PRESENT ON THE FYI 21 LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING FOR THE CITY'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY.
THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE, UH, PROGRAM IS ESSENTIALLY CATEGORIZED INTO TWO TRACKS, A STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, AND A FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
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UPCOMING FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS.THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS DRAFTED BY THE CITY'S OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS STAFF.
IT IS REVIEWED BY THE CITY'S INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE AND THE POLICY I'M SORRY.
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM WAS THEN ADOPTED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2020 MEETING.
THIS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY'S CONTRACTED LOBBYISTS TEAMS WHO WILL REPRESENT THE ISSUES FOR THE UPCOMING 117TH CONGRESS.
THE CORE PRINCIPLES GOING INTO THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING 117TH CONGRESS INCLUDE OVERALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY, CABLE, TELEVISION, AND BROADBAND INTERNET.
UH, PRINCIPLE DRIVING THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS THE CITY RECOGNIZES THAT COMPETITION IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS, BROADBAND AND CABLE T'S TV SERVICES CAN YIELD MORE CONTENT, DISTRIBUTION AND APPLICATIONS, BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE, AFFORDABLE RATES FOR ALL, AND TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS TO ENGAGE IN A DIGITAL SOCIETY.
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXACERBATED THE DEEP DIGITAL DIVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ELEVATED THE NEED FOR EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE, AND ADEQUATE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY.
THIS PRINCIPLE STATEMENT, THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY'S TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY IS REPRESENTED BY THE CITY SUPPORTING AND PRESERVING THE CITY SUPPORT FOR PRESERVING LOCAL AUTHORITY.
THE IS OPPOSITION TO ANY PREEMPTION OF CITY'S ZONING AUTHORITY, THE CITY ENCOURAGEMENT OF CONGRESS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ACCESS TO BROADBAND SERVICES AND DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS TRAINING.
THE CITY'S STRONG SUPPORT FOR POLICIES AND FUNDING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE INTERNET SERVICES AND REQUIRE REQUIREMENT FOR PARADE OR TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE DISCLOSURE OF PRICING, AND OF HOW PERSONAL DATA IS COLLECTED AND USED AND THE CITY'S ENCOURAGEMENT OF CONGRESS TO REMOVE THE UNNECESSARY REGULATORY RESTRICTION, UM, LIMITING THE USE OF PAID FUNDS.
NOW ON TO THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AGAIN, THIS POLICY AGENDA DRAFTED BY THE CITY'S OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS REVIEWED BY THE CITY'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE AND ADOPTED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THE SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2020 MEETING.
THIS WILL BE SUPPLIED TO THE CITY'S CONTRACTED LOBBYISTS TEAMS AND LOCAL DELEGATION OF REPRESENTATIVES WHO WILL REPRESENT THE ISSUES FOR THE UPCOMING 87TH STATE LEGISLATURE.
THE FRAMEWORK AROUND THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY IS SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, REVENUE, AND MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY.
NEXT SLIDE, THE TEXT, THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA OR TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY IS REPRESENTED BY THE PROTECTION FOR THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MANAGE AND CONTROL PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY THE OPPOSITION TO ANY LEGISLATION THAT LIMITS THE CITY'S ABILITY TO REGULATE AND ENFORCE THE CITY'S BUILDING CODES, LAND USE, AND ZONING REGULATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS OR ENHANCES MUNICIPAL REVENUES AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO USE SUCH REVENUES IN CONCLUSION, THAT IS THE BRIEFING FROM THE CITY'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND THE FYI 21 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AS IT RELATES TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY.
AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE.
OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOHN.
THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION AND A GREAT BREAKDOWN OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AT EVERY LEVEL.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE COMMISSIONERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
SO IT SEEMS THAT PREVIOUS FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATION HAD PRETTY MUCH TAKEN AWAY THAT CITY IS ALREADY OVERWORKED RIGHT AWAY, AND EVEN WHAT THEY CAN CHARGE FOR, UH, IS THE GOAL TO TRY
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AND TAKE SOME OF THIS ALREADY BACK THERE, FURTHER ENCROACHMENT ON CITY AUTHORITY.COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION AND CONFIRM YOUR ARTICULATION OF THAT ISSUE.
YES, THE CITY'S PREEMPTION OF, UH, LOCAL AUTHORITY FOR, UM, FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS IS, UH, GOING BACK TO 2005 IN WHICH THE STATES, UM, ISSUED AND A BILL THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME, IN WHICH LIMITED, I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING FEEDBACK.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT ME THAT LIMITED THE AUTHORITY OF, UH, LOCAL MUNICIPAL ENTITIES FOR ENTERING INTO LOCAL FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS.
IT IS THEN THEREAFTER THAT THE FCC, UH, FURTHER LIMITED THAT AUTHORITY.
UM, AND I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THE POSTURE OF THE CITY TO PROTECT THE CURRENT AUTHORITY THAT IT DOES HAVE, WHICH IS, UH, VERY LIMITED, BUT IN SERVICE OF BEING ABLE TO ENSURE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND INTERNET AND ASSURANCE THAT THOSE STANDARDS FOR, UH, THE PROVISION OF SERVICES ARE EQUITABLY PROVIDED TO ALL RESIDENTS AND, AND ASSURANCE THAT THE, OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE BASED ON THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT POSTURE IS ONE THAT REALLY ENCOURAGES AND ADVOCATES FOR A, AN INVESTMENT FROM THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, THOSE CARRIERS AND THOSE ENTITIES THAT REPRESENT THE CARRIERS TO, UM, INVEST THE NECESSARY BACKBONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE CONNECTED.
AND THAT POSTURE IS IN CONSIDERATION OF THE, THE YEARS OF, UH, LIMITING, UH, LEGISLATION THAT HAS LEFT US WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT JOHN, YOU KNOW, RELATING TO THE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UH, I'M SORRY, ONE SECOND, PLEASE.
I JUST WANT TO GET JOHN TO CLARIFY SOMETHING BEFORE YOU ASK YOUR NEXT QUESTION, BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD JOHN SAYING ALL OF THAT, SO NOW I'M ON, BUT I GUESS SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT STILL BE ON.
SO WHAT I'VE HEARD JOHN SAYING, JUST TO CLARIFY IS THAT THROUGH A FOCUS ON EQUITABLE BROADBAND, THAT WE STILL HAVE AN IMPORTANT DEGREE OF INFLUENCE ON RIGHT OF WAY, UH, MANAGEMENT AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
UH, WOULD YOU CURRENT CONFIRM THAT FOR ME, JOHN AND THE REST OF THE GROUP BEFORE WE PROCEED CHERRY PITS, THE CHARACTERIZATION OF MY RESPONSE TO COMMISSIONER EATS IS ACCURATE.
AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT WITH THE, THE LIMITED AUTHORITY THAT WE DO HAVE THAT ADVOCACY FOR INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY A, A CHARACTERIZATION OF OUR POSTURE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR BEFORE WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMISSIONER DASGUPTA POLICE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR, UH, CHAIR PITS, YOUR, UH, QUESTIONING FOR CLARIFICATION ACTUALLY LEADS ME TO ANOTHER FOLLOW ON QUESTION BEFORE I ASKED THE QUESTION THAT I HAD IN MIND.
SO I REALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS NOW.
SO GIVEN THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME LIMITED AUTHORITY IN MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, WHY IS THE AREA AROUND LAMAR AND GRANDPA SUCH A LOW LINE MARSH? THERE'S SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM, EDUCATING CHILDREN IN THAT AREA.
WHY IS THE CITY MURDER HAPPEN? WHY ISN'T THERE A BETTER SERVICE THERE? I LIKE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS SO I CAN HELP, UH, TO MODERATE, UH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR JOHN, THE QUESTION THAT WE BE FRAMING TO SOMEONE ELSE FOR JOHN, YOU HAVE CLARIFICATION TO YOUR QUESTION.
I'M SAYING, IF WE DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY, HOW CAN WE USE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN LIFT UP THAT NEIGHBOR TO REASONABLY GOOD STANDARDS IN BROADBAND AND POLITICS? OKAY.
SO NOW I'M HEARING A, HOW QUESTION? NOT A WHY QUESTION, UH, THEN I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS, BUT THE HOW QUESTION MIGHT,
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I THINK JOHN COULD POSSIBLY WEIGH IN ON THE WHY QUESTION? I THINK LESS SO, BUT THAT'S MY 2 CENTS.UM, THANK YOU, CHAIR PITS AND, UM, COMMISSIONER SCOOPED, UH, WITH RELATION TO THE, UH, UPSTREAM ISSUE, UH, FOR THIS QUESTION, IF I CAN FRAME MY RESPONSE IN SUCH A MANNER IS THE DISPARITY COMMISSIONER DOES SCOOP, UH, THAT YOU ARE, UH, REFERENCING IS A RESULT OF THE INABILITY FOR THE CITY IN PART TO HAVE A, UH, SPECIFIC, UM, BUILD OUT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFIC EQUITABLE REQUIREMENT IN A LOCAL FRANCHISE BECAUSE LOCAL FRANCHISES DO NOT EXIST ANYMORE HERE IN TEXAS, THAT STATES SPECIFICALLY THAT ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY SHALL RECEIVE EQUITABLE INVESTMENT.
THAT IS AN IDEAL, UM, ELEMENT OF A LOCAL FRANCHISE.
THE CITY WORKS UNDER A STATE ISSUED CERTIFICATE, A FRANCHISE AUTHORITY IN WHICH WE ARE ESSENTIALLY LIMITED IN OUR ROLE TO COLLECT REVENUES FOR THE USE OF CITY RIGHTS OF WAY.
AND THEN AT, UH, PLACING GUIDELINES AS IT RELATES TO STANDARDS FOR USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, USUALLY PERTAINING TO THE POLE ATTACHMENT REGULATIONS FOR THOSE POLES THAT ARE OWNED BY THE MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION AND FOR ANY REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UH, UH, AN ASSURANCE FOR THE ONGOING MONITOR OF THE REVENUES ASSOCIATED FOR THE USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THE UPSTREAM ISSUE THERE IS WE ARE UNABLE TO ENSURE AN EQUITABLE BUILD OUT AS IT RELATES TO OUR LIMITED AUTHORITY.
HOWEVER, THROUGH THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS A CONTINUED CALL FOR THE PROVISION OF THE CITY'S ABILITY TO EXERT MORE INFLUENCE AND MORE LEVERAGE AND MORE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THOSE AUTHORITIES THAT PROVISION POWER TO THE CITY AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE THROUGH FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND FEDERAL RULES THAT CAN HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THAT IMBALANCE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO YOU'RE MUTED RIGHT NOW.
SO LET ME ASK THE OTHER QUESTION NOW DO FOR THE ORIGINAL QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK AT THE WORKING GROUP MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTING AND DATES OPENING UP FOR FILING BILLS, ET CETERA.
AND I FORWARDED TO YOU A, AN ARTICLE FROM, I THINK THE AUSTIN AMERICAN, WHICH SAYS THE DATA'S OPENED THE GATE IS OPEN NOW.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU OR YOUR DEPARTMENT IS DOING RELATING SPECIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TOPIC THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT? REMEMBER I BROUGHT UP THE TOPIC OF HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITH ITS DEMAND FOR INCREDIBLE AMOUNTS OF DATA CREATE USING DATA, CREATING DATA, ET CETERA, HOW THAT WOULD IMPINGE ON OUR PRIVACY AND WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE ANY KIND OF SAFEGUARDS TO THAT.
SO HAS ANY WORK BEEN DONE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION FOLLOWING OUR DISCUSSION, JUST IN LINE WITH THE OPENING OF THE DATE FOR FILING BILLS AT THE LEDGE, COMMISSIONER THE SCOOP, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, AND WITH REGARD TO OUR WORK, AS IT RELATES TO THE UPCOMING STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE IS BILL ACTIVITY UNDERWAY.
SO SPECIFICALLY THERE ARE TWO BILLS THAT ARE FILED AS OF TODAY, THE, UM, OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS CONDUCTS BILL ANALYSIS
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IN WHICH WE RENDER, UM, A RESPONSE ON, IS THE LEGISLATION FAVORABLE IN RELATION TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? WILL IT HAVE AN IMPACT ON CORE SERVICES? WILL IT IMPACT OUR RESIDENTS? WILL IT HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPAL ON THE MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION AND WHO MAY SUPPORT AND WHO MAY OPPOSE THE ISSUE IN OUR OPINION, AND THAT THE, THE TWO BILLS THAT ARE FILED AS OF THIS COMMISSION MEETING THAT ARE RELATED TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY, UH, RELATE TO THE USE OF A, THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND FOR THE PROVISION OF BROADBAND SERVICE IN UNDERSERVED RURAL AREAS AND RELATING TO THE CREATION OF A BROADBAND OFFICE WITHIN THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BROADBAND SERVICE INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM, THOSE BILLS WERE FILED AS OF THIS WEEK.AND OUR OFFICE IS UNDERWAY WITH THE ANALYSIS FOR US TO REMIT THAT TO OUR LOBBYISTS TEAMS AND LOCAL DELEGATION.
UM, SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, UH, THERE IS NO BILL ACTIVITY AS OF YET THAT RELATES TO THAT.
UM, HOWEVER, OUR RESPONSE TO ANY BILL THAT MAY BE FILED IN THAT SUBJECT MATTER WOULD THEN, UH, GO BACK TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
DOES IT PROMOTE LOCAL AUTHORITY? DOES IT, UM, PROMOTE THE EQUITABLE, UM, UH, AVAILABILITY OF TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL RESIDENTS? UM, WILL IT CREATE A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR OUR RESIDENTS SO THAT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WILL HELP SHAPE ANY RESPONSE TO ANY LEGISLATION, TO YOUR POINT, UH, FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR MUTED? OOPS, THE, OUR VISION AI WAS THE BASIS FOR THE REAL QUESTION THAT I HAVE IN MIND, AND THAT IS REALLY INDIVIDUAL SECURITY, PRIVACY.
SO AI WAS SORT OF LIKE, UH, LIKE, LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE TURF ON WHICH I BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IS, IS DOING ANYTHING TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S PRIVACY IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF HUGE DEMAND.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, STATE LEGISLATIVE, UM, AGENDA THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK DOES, UM, INCLUDE MORE DETAILED LANGUAGE, UH, AROUND SECURITY AND INFORMATION, UM, SECURITY.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU, UM, I, I'M LOOKING HERE AT THE DETAILED AGENDA AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE YOU THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, DOES SPECIFICALLY STATE THE, UM, LANGUAGE THAT ENSURES THAT THERE IS PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOR CONSUMER INFORMATION AND GREATER AWARENESS OR HOW THEIR DATA IS UTILIZED.
SO THIS LANGUAGE IS SPECIFIC WITHIN THE ADOPTED POLICY OF THE CITY.
I HOPE THAT MORE DIRECTLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION THAT THE LANGUAGE IS THERE AND SHOULD ANY BILL BE FILED? WE HAVE A POINT OF REFERENCE.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY A PENDING BILL TO HELP UNDERSERVED RURAL AREAS.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS BILL COULD BE LEVERAGED TO HELP OUT UNDERSERVED URBAN AREAS.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO DO THAT COMMISSIONER EATS? YES.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THE, THE POSTURE WOULD REALLY BE TO RENDER OUR ANALYSIS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO WHAT OUR MUNICIPAL GOALS ARE, WHAT OUR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES AND REPRESENTING THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS
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AND OUR ORGANIZATION, AND PROVIDING THAT ANALYSIS TO OUR LOBBYIST TEAMS AND TO OUR LOCAL DELEGATION TO THEN, UM, CREATE THAT LEVERAGE THAT YOU SPEAK TO FOR THE ABILITY TO, TO THEN BEGIN THAT VERY IMPORTANT WORK OF LEGISLATING.IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RURAL AREAS, WELL, WE ALSO HAVE A, A NEED IN URBAN AREAS.
AND I THINK THAT MY RESPONSE THERE IS IT WOULD BE OUR GOAL TO CREATE A, UM, BILL ANALYSIS THAT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK OF LEGISLATING.
AND TO YOUR QUESTION, THEN LEVERAGE THE, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS TO ENABLE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY, UH, TRANSPIRE WHERE IT'S NOT JUST REPRESENTING RURAL AREAS, BUT IT IS ONE THAT ALSO ENCAPSULATES THE NEEDS OF URBAN COMMUNITIES LIKE AUSTIN.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SOMEHOW GET LANGUAGE LIKE THAT INCORPORATED INTO THESE BILLS.
SO THE LOBBYIST FIRMS THAT YOU CONTRACT WITH, ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITIES ON, DOES THE CITY HIRE THEIR OWN CONTRACTORS AND TRYING TO GO AT IT ALONE? COMMISSIONER UTES, THANK YOU FOR THAT INQUIRY.
UM, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY'S INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE.
I KNOW THAT THOSE, UH, LOBBYISTS TEAMS THAT ARE UNDER CONTRACT, UM, NOT ONLY SERVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, AND I WOULD DEFER TO THE CITY'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE RELATIONSHIPS THERE WITH THOSE FIRMS ALSO REPRESENTING OTHER ENTITIES.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD, UM, ASSUME THAT THERE IS A, UM, A TRUST THAT THOSE LOBBYISTS TEAMS, UM, ARE ABLE TO CREATE A, A BRAIN TRUST.
SO TO SPEAK FROM A MULTITUDE OF MUNICIPAL NEEDS THAT ARE BEING REPRESENTED THROUGH THE VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE PLANS THAT ARE EACH DEVELOPED.
AND, UH, ALL THE COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ONE OF, UH, MANY COMMUNITIES IN THIS STATE THAT ARE, UH, CREATING POLICY AS IT RELATES TO OUR LOCAL UNIQUE NEEDS.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT IS REALLY THE, THE WORK THERE IS TO KIND OF IDENTIFY THOSE PATTERNS, IDENTIFY THOSE REOCCURRING NEEDS FROM COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY, TO SHAPE A LARGER UNDERSTANDING AND TO CREATE THAT COHERENCE THAT IS ENTIRELY IMPORTANT IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, CREATE, UH, LEGISLATION THAT REALLY NOT ONLY ADDRESSES THE NEEDS, BUT MAKES A TRUE IMPACT.
SO WITH REGARDS TO THE SPECIFIC CONTRACTS, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DEFER TO THE CITY'S INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE, UM, ON HOW IT IS THAT THEY CHOOSE AND HOW THOSE, UH, LOBBYISTS ARE REPRESENTING AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES.
SO THIS IS AN OBSERVATION I A PRESENTATION HERE, AND IT SEEMS THAT THAT KARA IS DOING A GREAT JOB, UH, FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE AGAINST INDUSTRY PIERRE.
AND THAT WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS HIGHLIGHTS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS COMMISSION IN THAT I SUSPECT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, SOME KIND OF EQUITY IN TERMS OF AVAILABILITY, AVAILABILITY, OKAY.
THE INTERNET IS THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE OVER SOME OF THESE FUNCTIONS AND THE CITY DOES HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
AND IT'S JUST GETTING THE CITY TO PROVIDE MORE.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THIS POSITION REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UM, FEEDBACK THERE.
AND, UM, IT'S A GOAL FROM STAFF TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, UM, PROVIDING YOU ALL THE, THE UPDATES AS IT RELATES TO THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AS WELL.
UM, AND ABSOLUTELY THIS IS, UM, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER, UM, UH, EXPAND UPON THE SCOPE, THE VERY IMPORTANT SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION AS IT RELATES TO ADVOCACY AND BEING ABLE TO HELP,
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UM, UH, SUPPORT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS, UM, TO YOUR POINT, A GREAT TIME TO STEP UP AND WORK TOGETHER, UM, SO THAT WE CAN AFFECT SOME REAL POSITIVE CHANGE.
I THINK FOR THAT QUESTION, I DON'T THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GATES FOR THAT QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT, UH, TO CHIME IN THERE, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF, UH, WELL, PERSISTENT FOCUS ON THESE TOPICS WITHIN THE DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN.
AND ALTHOUGH THE FOCUS OF THAT COMMUNITY IS DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT.
AS WE ALL KNOW AS A BODY, THAT IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION.
THAT'S ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S ABOUT KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION, DATA STEWARDSHIP, UH, IT'S ABOUT ALL THE WORKING GROUP FUNCTIONS NOW, INCLUDING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU COMMISSIONER DIETZ, UH, AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN THOSE DECA CALLS.
UH, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF NOT HAVING A WALKING QUORUM, BUT I BELIEVE IN PARTICULAR, UH, WITH YOUR BACKGROUND AND INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN THE CITY COMMISSIONER YATES, UH, THAT YOUR INPUT WILL BE VERY VALUABLE IN THOSE SETTINGS AND IN THOSE FORUMS. SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO, I CAN TEE YOU UP FOR ONE OF THOSE, UH, CONFERENCE CALLS OR VIDEO CHATS TO JOIN US IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, FOR, FOR JOHN AS IT RELATES TO HIS PRESENTATION? OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A VERY ROBUST AGENDA, SO GOOD RECEIPT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, JOHN.
AND THEN FOR YOUR DILIGENCE ON THIS EFFORT, UH, WE WILL MAKE A NOTE I'D LIKE TO, IF I CAN, UH, HAVE A FOLLOW-UP REGARDING GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UH, PERTAINING TO PERSONAL PRIVACY, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, AS RELATES TO THAT LAST PIECE THAT WAS MENTIONED, UH, JESSE, SORRY TO YOUR PETS.
I, UH, I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT.
COULD YOU REPEAT YOURSELF PLEASE? SURE, SURE.
SO I'D LIKE TO, IF I CAN, UH, A RANGE OF FOLLOWUP WITH GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, THE SPECIFICS OF PERSONAL PRIVACY, UH, AS I KNOW THAT THAT WAS RAISED AS A POINT OF CONCERN ABOUT COMMISSIONED THAT SCOOP TO, AND THEN ALSO, UH, TO COMMISSIONER YATES, HIS LAST COMMENT, AS IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY BENEFIT FROM HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AT THE WORK LEVEL, PERHAPS ABOUT THEIR LOBBYIST ACTIVITY.
I'M HAPPY TO ARRANGE FOR THAT.
SO WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA TO NEW BUSINESS.
AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO GET THROUGH.
UM, HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PROPOSAL.
AND A LOT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS, UH, THAT ARE STANDING BY THAT, UH, ARE CURIOUS IF THEY FARED WELL IN OUR POSTER COMPETITION.
I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE IF EVERYONE IS AMENABLE, UH, THAT WE BUMP UP THE DECKER POSTER COMPETITION AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT TO NOW, BEFORE WE JUMPED INTO DELIBERATING ABOUT AI, REMOTE DISSIPATION, OR EVEN THE, THE, THE CALENDAR SCHEDULE, UH, OR THE COMMISSION REPORT ON DIGITAL EQUITY, I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR YOUNGSTERS AND HOW THEY NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL TOMORROW.
AND, UH, THEY PROBABLY WANT TO FIND OUT IF THEY WON.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO HAVE A VOTE FOR THAT CHANGE, JESSE, OR IF I CAN AUTHORIZE THAT OR NOT, THERE DOES NOT NEED TO BE A VOTE AS LONG AS IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, THERE'S UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
SO HOW'S THEIR MONEY FEEL? WHAT DO YOU THINK, SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND NOT DO THE POLLSTER ANNOUNCEMENT SO WE CAN LET THE, OUR CREATIVE YOUNGSTERS KNOW? YES, I CAN.
UH, SOMEBODY, I DON'T PUT TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN ON JESSE, WHO I ASKED TO TEE UP THE ARTWORK, UH, THEN IF WE'RE GOOD TO GO WITH THAT, JESSE, THEN I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD
[3.d. DECA Poster Competition Award Announcement (Commission discussion and Action; Nehemiah Pitts III, Chair Commissioner; Jesse Rodriguez, Business Process Specialist)]
AND JUMP TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, D R DECA POSTER COMPETITION AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT.WELL, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT THIS WAS REALLY EXCITING AND A DELIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, BOTH AT THE JUDGE AND SEEING THE WHOLE THING COME TO FRUITION WITH THE HELP OF OUR WONDERFUL DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN MEMBERS, A WHOLE HOST OF MEMBERS, UH, THAT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AND REALLY PLAYED
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A KEY ROLE.UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE FAMILIES, UH, FRANKLY, FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR, THEIR MANAGEMENT OF LIFE IN THIS DAY AND AGE WITH COVID-19 HAVING TO MANAGE DISTANCE, UH, ALONG WITH YOUR, YOUR OWN SCHEDULES, TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW YOUR, YOUR, YOUR YOUNG STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE, UH, OF COURSE, WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE, UH, THE PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS CONTEST, INCLUDING OF COURSE, ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY TO PARTICIPATE.
AND WITH THAT WHO HASN'T TALKED TO ABOUT THE CONTEST A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE CONTEST WAS PART OF DIGITAL INCLUSION, UH, WEEK WAS THE TARGET, BUT REALLY A CELEBRATION OF DIGITAL INCLUSION.
AND THE THEME WAS WHAT DOES DIGITAL EQUITY MEAN TO YOU? UH, WE AGREED YOU HAVE, UH, A REGIMENTED FORMAT AND TO THEN ALLOW AGES 10 TO 18 TO PARTICIPATE.
UH, AND THE KEY THING WAS THAT THEY HAD TO LIMIT THEIR SUBMISSION TO A STANDARD, UH, UH, A STANDARD SIX 16 BUCKETS.
THEN, UH, SHE, I, I APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T, I'M JUST GOING TO GET AN EMAIL THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UH, BUT STANDARD FORMAT, UH, IT WAS OPEN THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE SUBMISSIONS DIGITALLY, UH, OR BY MAIL, UH, THAT COULD USE, AND IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO, THE KEY THING WAS TO BASICALLY IN THE, IN THE ACTUAL ART POSTER CONVEY WHAT DIGITAL EQUITY MEANS TO YOU.
SO WITH THAT, WE HAD 25 SUBMISSIONS, UH, ALL GREAT WORK, UH, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF EVERYONE THAT WE PAID IT, BUT WE ONLY HAVE THREE WINNERS AND WE HAVE A THIRD PLACE, A SECOND PLACE AND A FIRST PLACE WINNER.
SO IF I COULD, I'D LIKE TO JESSE, HAVE YOU GO AHEAD AND DISPLAY, UH, OUR THIRD PLACE WINNER TO BEGIN WITH, UH, WHICH IS A STUDENT FROM ST.
FRANCIS SCHOOL, UH, CAVEAT GUPTA WINNING THIRD PLACE, AND JESSE WILL BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY TEE UP THE ARTWORK.
SO YOU COULD ALL SEE THE POSTER DESIGN THAT WAS SUBMITTED AND THAT WON THIRD PLACE.
AND AS YOU CAN ALL TELL, THEY ARE VERY ATTUNED TO THE WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN THESE DAYS WITH COVID-19 AND DONE A REALLY CREATIVE DESCRIPTION HERE, UH, AS THEY DESCRIBED IT, UH, THIS AR IS ABOUT KIDS CONNECTING DIGITALLY IN THE STORE.
AND DIMMICK EVEN IF THINGS GET HARD, THIS ALSO REMINDS ME THAT EVERYONE IS HERE FOR YOU, AND WE ARE NOT ALONE.
THE STRONG LOTS OF RACES, CULTURES, AND ETHNICITIES CONNECTING TO EACH OTHER DIGITALLY, NO MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE OR WHERE YOU COME FROM.
I JUST WANT TO, TO GIVE IT MY ALL OWN APPLAUSE AND THANK YOUNG ARTISTS AND THEIR FAMILY FOR MUCH FOR THE SUBMISSION.
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, CAVEAT BUTTA.
YOU ARE THE WINNER AT A A HUNDRED DOLLARS CASH PRIZE, AND ALSO WITH THE HONOR TO HAVE YOUR ARTWORK USE THROUGHOUT OUR ACTIVITIES, UH, AT THE SINGLE LEVEL, UH, TO ADD TO YOUR PORTFOLIO.
SO, UH, WITH THIS TALENT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, YOU MUST, YOU MUST HAVE A PORTFOLIO IN THE WORKS.
IF NOT, YOU GOT TO START AT ONE RIGHT HERE.
AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO OUR NEXT WINNER, WHICH IS SECOND PLACE.
AND THAT WAS A SUBMISSION BY ARI BERNSTEIN COMING FROM FINE ARTS ACADEMY.
I'D LIKE TO ASK IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, HE SAID, THANK YOU.
AND, UH, JESSE WOULD SHOW IN OUR PIECE HERE.
AND BY THE WAY, I SHOULD MENTION, UH, OUR PREVIOUS ARTISTS, THIRD PLACE WINNER WAS 11 YEARS OLD.
AND NOW FOR, UH, OUR SECOND PLACE WINNER HERE ARE, UH, BERNSTEIN WOULD COME TO FINE ARTS ACADEMY, THIS WONDERFUL PIECE HERE, UH, ARI IS 12 YEARS OLD, UH, AND HE PROVIDED THIS DESCRIPTION FOR HIS ARTWORK.
MY ARTWORK IS ABOUT EVERYONE, NO MATTER THE DIFFERENCE, HAVING EQUAL DIGITAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUCCEED DIGITALLY.
I SHOWED THIS BY DRAWING DIVERSE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT PLACES, EVEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY TO LEARN AND CREATE THINGS ONLINE.
[01:10:01]
AND AS YOU CAN TELL, IT'S A VERY THOUGHTFUL PIECE.HE HAS DEPICTIONS OF A VARIETY OF TYPES OF PEOPLE IMPACTED BY A DIGITAL EQUITY.
AND IT'S VERY WELL DONE, VERY THOUGHTFUL PIECE, AND WE ARE JUST HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AND TO HAVE THIS BE PART OF THE ARTWORK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DISPLAY, UH, WITH, UH, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION OFFICE AND WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO IN ADDITION TO $200 PLACE, UH, CASH REWARD THAT ARI WILL BE RECEIVING, WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO ADD TO YOUR PORTFOLIO AND TO MAKE THE CITY OF BOSTON, ONE OF YOUR CREDITS AS AN ARTIST, TOO.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR THIS WORK, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE YOUR RUNNER APPLAUSE.
AND THEN WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A DRUM ROLL FOR OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER, AND YOU CAN SEE THE ARTWORK.
NOW, OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER IS MIRA PATEL.
MERYL PATEL IS A STUDENT, A 13 YEAR OLD STUDENT AT KEELING MIDDLE SCHOOL.
NO, EXCUSE ME, A 12 OLD STUDENTS, UH, AT TEELING MIDDLE SCHOOL MAKES SUBMITTED THIS DIGITALLY.
AND THEY USED, UH, ALCOHOL MARKERS AND PEN, UH, WITH A STYLE THEY REFERRED TO AS A MIX OF REAL REALISM AND CHARACTER ART OFTEN USED IN BULLET JOURNALING.
AND THEN WHAT THEY DESCRIBED FROM THE SUBJECT MATTER IS THIS, TO ME, VISUAL EQUITY MEANS TECH ADAPTED TO FIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE'S NEEDS.
EQUITY IS DIFFERENT THAN GIVING EVERYONE THE SAME THING, BECAUSE EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.
THAT WAS A VERY PROFOUND STATEMENT.
AND I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE IN THE SPIRIT OF ACCESSIBILITY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT DIFFERENT POPULATIONS FACE HISTORICALLY.
UH, IT'S A VERY BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN STATEMENT.
AND AS YOU CAN ALL FILL A VERY BEAUTIFULLY DONE PIECE IS WHAT EQUITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL A BEAUTIFUL PIECE.
UH, AND SO FOR THIS FIRST PLACE AWARD MIRA PATEL WILL BE RECEIVING A $400 CASH PRIZE.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD THIS TO HER PORTFOLIO, UM, AND, UH, WE'LL BE PROMOTING THIS WORK THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BY THE WAY, I WANT TO MAKE A MENTION THAT ALL THREE OF OUR WINNERS WILL ALSO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE ART COMMISSION MEETING NEXT MONTH.
AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY GET A CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR ART THERE AS WELL IN FRONT OF A BIGGER AUDIENCE OF THOSE WHO APPRECIATE ART IN THE CITY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
BUT BEFORE WE PROCEED, LET'S GIVE HER A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR A FIRST PLACE ACHIEVEMENT HERE.
ALL WE CAN DO IS REALLY JUST THANK YOU AND APPLAUD THIS WONDERFUL WORK.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, I GET TO BE NOW, UH, AND TO SWITCH GEARS WITH A BIG SMILE, UH, BACK TOWARDS OTHER ITEMS IN OUR AGENDA.
[3.a. The long reach of Artificial Intelligence (Commission Discussion and Action)]
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SWITCH BACK TO NEW BUSINESS AGENDA ITEM THREE, A THE LONG REACH OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND ACTION.NOW FOR THIS DISCUSSION, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE COMMISSIONER DON SCOOP TO JUMP IN HERE MOMENTARILY, BUT I'D LIKE TO FRAME IT FOR US ALL BRIEFLY.
UH, OBVIOUSLY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PARTICULARLY FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION BY OUR NEW CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER AND PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS WE'VE HAD ABOUT SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS LEVERAGING EITHER MACHINE LEARNING OR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS GOING TO BE INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FOR THE WORLD AND FOR CITIZENS IN PARTICULAR, AS IT RELATES TO THE LEVERAGE AND USE OF THEIR PERSONAL DATA AND INFORMATION, NOT TO MENTION OTHER SERVICES THAT LEVERAGE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO DELIVER SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL, UM, OR STATE OR FEDERAL, UH, WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO PASS THE BATON, UH, COMMISSION ABOUT SCOOP THAT THIS WAS ONE OF HIS MAIN, UH, POINTS, CONCERN.
AND, UH, THIS WAS SOMETHING HE PERSONALLY WANTED ON
[01:15:01]
THE AGENDA.UH, THIS IS A TOPIC THAT WE BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT WE HAD ON THE 9TH OF NOVEMBER.
AND IT SORT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AI HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN FOR, WELL OVER THREE DECADES AND IT IS NOW COMING TO FRUITION NOW, IT'S, IT'S GOOD.
IT'S GOT LEGS NOW BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF COMPUTATIONAL CAPABILITY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT OUR FINGERTIPS, I JUST BOUGHT MYSELF A NEW CELL PHONE AND IT'S GOT EIGHT PROCESSORS.
THINK OF IT, ONE CELL PHONE, ONE SMARTPHONE WITH EIGHT PROCESSORS.
AND, UH, I'VE GOT A DESKTOP IT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, 2.4 GIGAHERTZ PROCESSORS WITH TERABYTES OF DATA, ET CETERA.
AND SO WITH ALL THAT MEMORY AND ALL THAT PROCESSING POWER NOW, AI TOOLS ARE COMING INTO EXISTENCE AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF MANKIND HUMANKIND THAT IT CAN BE APPLIED FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS.
IT COULD BE APPLIED FOR SMART SERVICES.
IT COULD BE APPLIED FOR A HAWK, YOU KNOW, SMART CARS, YOU NAME IT, IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH AI, BUT IT ALSO HAS THE DARK SIDE, RIGHT? IT NEEDS A LOT OF DATA.
SO MY QUESTION THAT CAME TO ME WAS WHO'S MINDING THE STORE.
WHO'S GOING TO BE PROTECTING ALL THIS DATA.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO PROACTIVELY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE CONTROL OF THAT, WHICH LED, YOU KNOW, WHICH ACTUALLY LED TO THAT QUESTION THAT I ASKED EARLIER TO JOHN SAY, OKAY, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS STARTING.
ARE THEY THINKING ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH? OR ARE THEY GOING TO JUST SAY, OKAY, WE'LL PLAY CATCH UP BALL IN TWO YEARS, BECAUSE IN TWO YEARS, THE WORLD WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT IN A HOST OF APPLICATION AREAS, WHETHER IT BE MEDICAL APPLICATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, SMART TOOLS, SMART CARS, INTERNET OF THINGS, ALL OF THESE ARE COMING TOGETHER.
SO I THOUGHT I'D BRING UP THE TOPIC OF THE WORKING GROUP.
AND, UH, WE QUICKLY DECIDED THAT THIS IS A TOPIC THAT WE SHOULD BRING IT UP AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL AND OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION FOR IDEAS.
WHAT CAN THIS COMMISSION DO TO GO PROMOTE THIS TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS SAFEGUARD OUR CITIZENS FROM THE ILL EFFECTS OF THAT TECHNOLOGY? SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I HAD IN MIND.
UM, AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE BIG COMPANIES LIKE AMAZON, FACEBOOK AND ROVERS.
SO THERE'S CURRENTLY SOME BIG FIGHTS GOING ON BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND I BELIEVE FACEBOOK AND AMAZON.
SO, UH, UH, MONITORING, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GIANT FIGHTING HERE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND AGAIN, PROBABLY WILL BE A QUESTION PROBABLY THE QUICK TO TARA, ARE THERE ANY STATE LEGISLATION PENDING AND IT HAS TO DO WITH DATA PRIVACY? SURE.
UM, AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE NO BILLS PENDING SPECIFIC TO DATA PRIVACY.
IS IT TOO LATE TOO? IS IT TOO EARLY TO FIND SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES OR DO WE NOT HAVE THE HOMEWORK DONE TO PROCEED? WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE WORLD I'M ON THE SAME PAGE HERE BECAUSE, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE, EVEN ON THIS IN THE SPOTTY IS FAMILIAR WITH GDPR, UH, AS A POINT OF DEPARTURE.
SO I THINK ONE THING THAT IS GOOD BY THE WAY, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T, UH, GDPR IS THE, UH, THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED IN THE EU, UH, FOCUSED AROUND GLOBAL DATA PRIVACY AND PROTECTING, UH, EU CITIZENS FROM THE KINDS OF THINGS, WHICH, UH, WE GET EXPOSED TO WANTONLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE'S AND, AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY
[01:20:01]
THESE ISSUES THAT STARTED IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE DATA PRIVACY IS TREATED MORE SERIOUSLY, PERHAPS MORE LIKE IT IS IN EUROPE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO OTHER