Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has signed legislation that would centralize the state’s information technology systems in the Office of Information Technology.

Ritter signed the bill May 22 as a way to correct what he described as fractured and inefficient information technology systems.

The primary sponsors of the bill are state Sens. Bill Cadman and John Morse and state Reps. Andy Kerr and Bernie Buescher. Seventy-six other state legislators signed on as additional sponsors.

“This legislation marks a historic turning point in how we will manage, consolidate and improve our IT assets and personnel,” Ritter said.

To emphasize his point, the governor said the state has 39 data centers and more than 1,600 servers. In contrast, some states have two data centers.

The legislation builds on previous efforts to improve the state’s technology systems, according to the governor’s office. Last year, Ritter elevated the post of state chief information officer to a cabinet-level position.

In June 2007, the state hired Ciber Inc., of Denver, to help develop an enterprise architecture program that it could use as it attempts to consolidate IT functions. The resulting study was published in January, according to the Office of Information Technology.