| (a) Applicability. All users and developers of geographic
datasets and geographic information systems in institutions of higher
education must comply with the technical standards specified in this
section. Institutions of higher education are exempt from these standards
when geographic information systems are acquired or geographic datasets
developed, solely for research or instructional purposes. Activities
conducted by a registered professional land surveyor while engaged
in the practice of professional surveying, as defined in the Professional
Land Surveying Practices Act (Art. 5282c, VTCS) are exempt from these
standards.
(b) Implementation guidance. Pursuant to Water Code §16.021(c),
the GIO provides guidance to the executive administrator of the Texas
Water Development Board and to the Department of Information Resources
(the department). The guidance provided by the GIO to the department
relates to technology standards developed by the department for geographic
datasets pursuant to Water Code §16.021(e)(4).
(c) Geographic Information Standards.
(1) Geographic dataset acquisition and development.
(A) Standard. An institution of higher education planning
to acquire, develop, or enhance a geographic dataset that may corresponds
to an HPIDS dataset shall coordinate such activity with the GIO to
determine potential use of the HPIDS master contract.
(B) Procurement of public domain geographic datasets.
An institution of higher education that procures a copy of a federal
or other public domain geographic dataset shall make the dataset available
to the Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS). TNRIS will
make these datasets available to other institutions of higher education,
state agencies, and to the public.
(2) Geographic dataset exchange: Data format. An institution
of higher education that originates or adds data content to a non-proprietary
geographic dataset and distributes the dataset to another state agency,
institution of higher education, or the public must make the dataset
available in at least one digital format that is recognized by the
most commonly used geographic information systems. This requirement
does not preclude the institution of higher education from offering
the dataset in other data formats. The GIO provides guidance on acceptable
formats for data exchange.
(3) Geographic dataset documentation.
(A) Preparation. An institution of higher education
shall prepare documentation for each geographic dataset that it both:
(i) originates and/or adds data content to; and
(ii) distributes as a standard product to another state
agency, institution of higher education, or the public.
(B) Statement of Purpose. Documentation shall include
a statement of the purpose or intended use of the dataset and a disclaimer
warning against unintended uses of the dataset. If an institution
of higher education is aware of specific inappropriate uses of the
dataset which some users may be inclined to make, the dataset disclaimer
shall specifically warn against those uses.
(C) Format. This documentation shall be in a geospatial
metadata format specified by the GIO.
(D) Delivery. In responding to a request for a geographic
dataset, an institution of higher education shall provide the requestor
a copy of the documentation.
(4) GIS map product disclaimer. Any map product, in
paper or electronic format, produced using geographic information
system technology and intended for official use and/or distribution
outside the institution of higher education, shall include a disclaimer
statement advising against inappropriate use. If the nature of the
map product is such that a user could incorrectly consider it to be
a survey product, the disclaimer shall clearly state that the map
is not a survey product.
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