Government Experience

An executive order from the governor of the Show Me State calls for the development of a strategic framework to advance AI technology and related infrastructure, addressing workforce development and data centers.

The federal government’s now-defunct United States Digital Service has served as an inspiration for states that are increasingly putting human experience at the center of their tech projects.

Tony Sauerhoff, who also previously served as state chief information security officer, was appointed interim executive director of the Texas Department of Information Resources and interim CIO.

The blockchain-based token, believed to be the first from a U.S. public entity, is for individual and institutional use. The executive director of the Wyoming Stable Token Commission is planning what comes next.

From the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf Coast, local governments are taking a strategic approach to sustain operational continuity in the face of IT department layoffs caused by budget constraints.

Visitors to the Colorado state Capitol can now access free American Sign Language interpreting services through the Aira ASL app, building on the state’s existing work to expand language access with this tool.

The local government has partnered with Blitz AI to make its building permit process more efficient. The integration automates formerly time-consuming manual application reviews.

The appointment of Eleonore Fournier-Tombs as chief AI officer and Stephen Graham as chief digital officer signals a more coordinated approach to AI, tech policy and public services as leadership roles evolve.

Mississippi has announced a new AI data center build that promises tax revenue and job creation. Such gains are not always easy to quantify, but policymakers can push developers to deliver.

Archie Satchell, the Florida county’s CIO of more than seven years, will retire Jan. 16. Deputy CIO Michael Butler, whose time with county IT dates to the mid-1990s, has taken on the role of acting CIO.

The millions in cost savings resulted from modernization of legacy technologies and smart financial management, state officials said. New funding in the 2025-2026 budget will strengthen IT and cybersecurity.

New technology is helping digitize the credit card account management and accounts payable processes for the small Idaho city. Doing so has saved more than 100 staff hours a month.

Stephen Heard, now the county’s permanent CIO, is a veteran technologist whose time with the local government dates to April 2007. Prior to becoming interim CIO, he was chief technology officer for five years.

Officials from the state Department of Accounting and General Services warned residents that bad actors are “creating deceptive web addresses” to trick them into releasing personal information.

State Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole will remain under her administration, Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill said. Outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy, meanwhile, signed a bill affirming the New Jersey Innovation Authority.

Heidi Norman, who has served as permanent CIO of Pittsburgh since 2022, and in other roles with the city since 2017, has departed at the request of the city’s incoming mayoral administration.

The company supplies digital licensing, lien and other automotive-documentation tools, and works with state agencies and other gov tech providers. CHAMP has raised more than $100 million since 2018.

The myColorado app now lets ID verifiers like government agencies or businesses scan a QR code on a user’s digital ID to quickly determine its validity. Some 1.8 million of the state’s residents use the app.