California says goodbye to late payments and late fees with this new payment tool
The California Department of FISCal (FI$Cal) released a new digital payment history tool that is sure to make life easier for state suppliers and contractors. The "FI$Cal Purchase Order Payment History Search" tool provides real-time information on payments and will serve thousands of suppliers receiving state payments. The tool, which launched in April, will also help the state save funds by preventing late payments and late fees to contractors.
California begins race to build a statewide, 10,000-mile broadband network
The state promotes high-speed internet as a critical element for economic growth since it enables work-from-home careers, which can save them money on transportation costs.
Deloitte Secures $46M California DMV Modernization Contract
The New York headquartered company is part of the DMV’s Digital eXperience Platform (DxP), a department-wide project to remake and re-engineer the DMV’s services from the ground up. Its aspirations are Amazonian, attempting to mimic the intuitive ease of ecommerce within the nuances of form submissions and renewals.
Ten AI Government Tech Startups to Watch in 2022
The impending world of AI presents an opportunity for entrepreneurs to offer governments a new level of service scalability, efficiency, and security. In fact, based on adoption, AI is likely to be a necessity to manage government’s ever-evolving service needs.
From possibility to performance: California’s CDO explains how to design data science projects that can make a difference
With citizen demands rising, America’s urbanization and growth continue to upend the traditional flow of government, a fact leaving officials disoriented but determined to uncover modern tools to expand and diversify services.
Q&A: California’s CIO and CISO reveal next steps for the state’s new cybersecurity strategy
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California’s first state-wide cybersecurity strategy last month, IT officials have been promoting the plan as something that will do more than increase security, streamline operations, or even cut costs. Officials said the strategy, known as Cal-Secure, lays the foundation for the future of California’s cybersecurity defense.
A Look at California’s New Cybersecurity Roadmap
California’s cybersecurity journey is full of setbacks and successes, hard tumbles and tenacious wins. In every sense, it’s a coming-of-age story, where growth is driven as much by loss as achievement. In this evolution, the Golden State is about to take its next big leap.
Does California Need a Data Academy?
Whether it’s a city IT department or a state technology office, it’s not easy for the government to hire capable talent. The California economy is competitive. It brims with nearly 1.9 million tech jobs, boasts the most tech companies out of any state, and on average, pays tech workers 78 percent more than all other occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
AI activists warn California officials against hidden threats to privacy and civil liberties
Tesla’s Elon Musk labeled artificial intelligence as our “biggest existential threat.” Apple’s Tim Cook described its potential perils as “profound.” And Microsoft’s Bill Gates likened A.I. to nuclear energy, projecting it to be “both promising and dangerous.”
California Office of Digital Innovation Plans Expansion for New Projects and Initiatives
California’s Office of Digital Innovation is growing in both size and scope. That message of growth took center stage this month as ODI leaders offered a public update on the group’s projects and strategy to modernize state services. The group sprang from the shared desire from the state legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to create a digital team that could reimagine new solutions, processes, and policies in service delivery. And since its launch in 2020, the ODI has grown from 11 technologists to 20-plus, with ambitions to increase to 50 soon.
Ca.gov could ‘reinvent’ how visitors access information and services
State technology officials have jumpstarted a major overhaul of Ca.gov, California's official website, to unify department sites and simplify access to services. The initiative is already underway with an announcement on June 17 by Rick Klau, who took helm as California's Chief Technology Innovation Officer in February. Klau met with tech companies in a vendor forum hosted by the California Department of Technology, saying the goal of the project is to streamline the state’s patchwork website content, design styles, management systems, and IT infrastructure.
What Civic Tech Means in 2021: An Interview with Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria
Civic tech is evolving, and with that change, so is Code for America. For the last decade, the non-profit has been a prover and promoter of civic tech, the idea government can be as agile and effective as any Silicon Valley startup.
How Governments Can Bridge Service Gaps with Data
There’s nothing more vexatious than wasted efforts. Every year, local governments invest the time, political capital, and troves of dollars for services many never use. It’s defeating and can be a crushing blow for morale, especially when it’s discovered those who might benefit most from such services are unintentionally excluded.
Tech leader Tim O’Reilly says this key IT ingredient will make or break social policies in 2021
O'Reilly said that when it comes to social policies and programs, the litmus test for effective government is the capacity for implementation. Even in our skeptical and partisan world, O'Reilly said efficient implementation has an uncanny and indisputable power to build faith in new ideas and change beliefs.
California to Track Homelessness with New Data System
California unveiled a potentially groundbreaking website to analyze its homelessness crisis. The site is part of a new system to measure the impacts of homelessness, identify contributing factors, and chronicle homeless support initiatives.
After California’s Costly Firestorms, A Wildfire Innovation Office Emerges
California’s 2020 wildfire season broke records. The state reported more than 9,600 wildfires that burned nearly 4.4 million acres, killed 31 people, destroyed 10,000-plus structures, and left Californians with more than $12 billion in damages. The increasing devastation, combined with last year’s losses, has spurred lawmakers to consider a new Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development for advanced fire prevention and suppression.