State Government

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency is spearheading work to improve the accessibility and usability of state sites. It is providing oversight, tools and resources to other agencies to update their online presence.

Guided by a consultant, the state group has opted to plan for putting an extra 15,000 Mainers in electric vehicles by the end of the decade to meet emissions reductions targets. Green hydrogen, members decided, is not likely to be commercially viable as soon as had been hoped.

Driven by personal experience and an inclusive vision, Patricia Rucker is leading the campaign for universal school choice across her state. An advocate for comprehensive legislation, she supports a range of educational options.

CIO Joe McIntosh took the state tech leadership job in July 2023 after previous state service. He took “full responsibility” for what he called an “oversight” and agreed to pay a civil penalty.

Artificial intelligence is poised to become the next big energy hog and data centers stand to challenge sustainability goals. Some processing demands, however, can be shifted to periods when demand is low.

Many state legislatures are trying to get ahead of self-driving vehicles that eventually will be on roads by setting standards for the vehicles and rules for law enforcement if they see one breaking a traffic law.

A recent university research study on state government chatbots highlights their potential to optimize workloads, enhance communication and reduce waits. They're becoming essential, but challenges around feedback and privacy could impact that.

Hired this spring to lead his home state’s tech efforts, McCarville can boast of advanced degrees and deep private-sector experiences. He talks about why those factors are important in a post-NASCIO follow-up interview.

The Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles is deploying kiosks this fall as part of a pilot program to help residents access services like driver’s license renewals more efficiently. Average transaction times are estimated at roughly two minutes.

The Idaho Department of Correction has significantly improved document management processes by utilizing Laserfiche to enable digitization and the automation of administrative tasks. This, in turn, has enhanced communication and facilitated field work.

In a move to enhance cybersecurity and digital services statewide, the Indiana Office of Technology is offering no-cost websites to all local governments, using its purchasing power with Tyler Technologies.

IT directors and cybersecurity professionals in ed tech are no strangers to burnout, and neither are their counterparts in student success. But technology and teamwork may be able to relieve some of that pressure, leaders said at the 2024 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference.

CIO Craig Orgeron has a plan to help the state spark more innovation with AI — one that includes a “two-pizza team” and an executive order. He talked at NASCIO about what’s already happened and what he hopes will come with AI.

The territory’s digital ID initiative, IDEAL, lets government agencies do a better job of sharing information they already have on residents, after securing their permission. It’s aimed at simplifying processes and making them quicker.

Blazes this season have set an acreage record with 1.9 million acres burned in Oregon at the end of September. Battling them has also stretched firefighters thin nationwide and, in Oregon, sapped state funding.

The mistakes in the courts’ distribution system resulted in more than $26 million in fees going to the wrong sources over a five-year period, the Iowa Judicial Branch has said. The branch is examining its case management system.

The state of Maine will get more than $65 million in federal funding for so-called “smart grid” technology to more quickly link solar panels and wind turbines to utilities’ electricity systems.

Created by executive order at the start of the year, Virginia has now set its AI Task Force in motion, aiming to support and advise policymakers on the technologies. Ten members have been named; more may follow.