Digital Services

W. Schad Meldrum has retired as IT director in the capital city after 25 years of public service. An interim has been elevated from within the organization, and leaders are considering his permanent replacement.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised 2025-2026 fiscal year state budget proposal has some General Fund reductions for agencies from the previous fiscal year. It would also provide additional funding for some tech projects.

Its Board of Commissioners is examining a system that could result in the county being able to reduce its full-time hours. One idea still under discussion is the duration of a potential contract.

Modernizing the state system will require more than just new technology. The undertaking will include a careful “change management” process to receive input and feedback from Hawaii staffers.

Officials have agreed to spend nearly $1 million on electronic voter check-in systems that will enable virtual sign-language services for deaf voters. Each polling place will have at least two tablets with the software.

Administrative support for the Office of Data Governance and Analytics has moved to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, in an effort to improve efficiency and further enable teamwork.

The state’s National Guard has donated five devices to local law enforcement to assist it in combatting drug trafficking. The components and software will aid in managing mobile device data and extracting information.

Commissioners for the local government of just over 180,000 unanimously approved a new solution that will eliminate paper checks and offer the option of a payment card. A goal is making sure jurors actually spend the money they’re paid for service.

The East Bay city will offer the free service plus identity theft protection to people who may have been impacted in an August 2024 cybersecurity incident. An investigation is continuing.

State officials in Kansas have continued to modernize technology platforms and improve cybersecurity, even as they spearheaded a recovery from a 2023 ransomware attack against the judicial system.

The county’s Office of Child Support Services has released tools designed to make it more accessible and easier for parents to use, and to get resources out faster. These include a new live chat and electronic signature.

Governments around the world — including the U.S., UK and Australia — are increasingly recognizing the transformative power of artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) in public service delivery. According to a new white paper from Granicus, a leading global provider of customer experience technologies and services for government, AI/ML can revolutionize how public services are delivered, enabling intuitive, accessible and tailored interactions without the need for citizens to navigate complex bureaucratic structures.

The state Office of Enterprise Technology Services has developed myHawaii, a secure site through which residents can access dozens of agencies and services by signing in just once.

The Hamilton County-Chattanooga Apprenticeship Hub seeks an employer with whom to commence a federally approved, artificial intelligence-guided apprenticeship program. It will offer AI to help apprentices identify jobs.

Plus, New Jersey has launched a new grant program, a small California city has begun building its fiber network, a new report assesses federal broadband data gaps that could impact reaching universal connectivity, and more.

The city is readying DallasNow, a comprehensive planning, permitting and land management system intended to enhance efficiency, transparency and customer service in one of the nation’s most populous municipalities.

A new system, powered by LexisNexis, lets Oklahoma City residents report nonemergency crimes to police online. More than 400 have logged reports since the platform made its debut April 1.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers announced the winners of its Technology Champion and Decade of Leadership awards Wednesday during its 2025 Midyear Conference in Philadelphia.