The E-Government Act of 2002 establishes a new Office of Electronic Government within the Office of Management and Budget. The presidential appointed administrator's duties include establishing policies to support IT standards and guidelines and encouraging collaboration and enhancing understanding of best practices.

The Act also

• Establishes an E-Government Fund ($345,000,000 FY03 – 06).
• Strengthens information security government-wide through the authorization of the Federal Information Security Management Act ("Title III–Information Security" of the E-Government Act of 2002).
• Formalizes the Federal Chief Information Officers Council and designates it as the principal interagency forum for improving agency practices related to the design, acquisition, development, modernization, use, operation, sharing, and performance of federal information resources.
• Authorizes a Digital Tech Corps, which is an exchange program of mid-level staff between the public and private sectors.

Agency responsibilities include:

• Preparing an annual report to Congress.
• Improving on-line access to information and services.
• Conducting Privacy Impact Assessments.

For information concerning the specific eGov Initiatives please visit http://egov.gov.

The full version of the law is available in text or PDF.

Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)

FISMA, part of the E-Government Act of 2002, links information security with enterprise architecture and permanently reauthorizes GISRA provisions. OMB will issue implementing regulations

New Provisions in FISMA

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in coordination with OMB, will develop new IT security standards and risk levels for all agencies
• Office of E-Government Director to assure security included in agency architectures
• Privacy impact analyses required for new information systems
• Expanded role of agency CIO:
  • Designate a senior official responsible of agency information security
  • Develop and enforce information security policies, procedures, and controls
  • Develop and enforce an agency-wide information security program
  • Assist agency senior officials with their security responsibilities
  • Train and oversee IT security personnel
• OMB Report to Congress now due March 1 annually
• Expands Agency Reporting
  • Agency’s Annual Report deadline determined by OMB
  • In addition to OMB, Agency’s Annual Report distributed to:
    • Congressional Committees (House: Science, Reform; Senate: Government Affairs & Commerce, Science & Transportation; authorization and appropriations committees for agency submitting)
    • General Accounting Office
  • Information Security included in other required agency reports to Congress
    • Such as: FMFIA, GPRA, annual agency budget requests
• Establishes central federal information security incident center, reporting to OMB
• Will establish guidance to agencies on incident handling
• Will provide technical assistance to agencies