History

Data governance is exercising the appropriate authority and control over a data asset to ensure its integrity, quality, security, and availability to all qualified users. Proper governance offers many benefits including increased awareness of data holdings, improved organizational efficiency and productivity, more citizen-centered services, and better informed decision-making and evidence-based policymaking resulting in actionable intelligence. Governance increases the value of Commonwealth data assets by guiding and enabling its evolution from information to intelligence while promoting data discovery, exploration, integration, and sharing through the implementation of enterprise standards, policies, guidelines, and best practices.

On January 7, 2020, Governor Northam signed Executive Order 48 that established a data governance framework making Virginia a leader in data-driven policy, evidence-based decision-making, and outcome-based performance management. The primary goal of the framework is to help the Commonwealth be more responsive and make better, evidence-based decisions grounded in the data it collects and manages. The data governance framework includes the Virginia Data Advisory Commission, Executive Data Board, Data Governance Council, and Data Stewards Group.

During the 2021 General Assembly Special Session I, Senate Bill 1365 was passed that solidified Virginia's data governance framework and through § 2.2-203.2:4. the Office of Data Governance and Analytics (ODGA) was created within the Office of the Secretary of Administration. The ODGA is directed by the Chief Data Officer of the Commonwealth and is charged with overseeing general data governance in the Commonwealth, as well as developing and managing the Commonwealth Data Trust.