WASHINGTON, D.C., Thursday, July 11, 2019 —The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) today endorsed S. 1846, the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2019. Introduced by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), the legislation amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for engagements with state, local, tribal and territorial governments.

Specifically, S. 1846 provides for additional federal grant opportunities to state, local and tribal governments to safeguard against cyber threats. It also strives to make serious efforts to strengthen the communication between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local officials to combat a myriad of cybersecurity threats. S. 1846 further codifies the coordination between DHS and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). Additionally, the legislation includes a proposed pilot deployment of enhanced capabilities to state and local governments to identify and filter malicious network traffic, which is currently only available to federal agencies.

NASCIO President and Delaware CIO James Collins lauded the introduction of S. 1846 saying, “states are the primary agents for delivering a host of critically important federally funded services on behalf of the federal government. For our CIOs and CISOs, this legislation would provide them with additional tools, resources and expertise to counteract a continuous barrage of cyber threats. We urge the Senate to pass S. 1846.”

The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2019 was introduced in the United States Senate in June and referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

LEXINGTON, Ky., May 14, 2019 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), in partnership with Integris Applied, has released a fourth guide in a series on the topic of “multisourcing” and a new state CIO operating model. This playbook can be used by any state or territory to design a path towards a modern multi-supplier delivery model that supports the demands and forces placed on the state CIO.

“While each state and territory has its own unique governance structures and political circumstances, all state CIOs have a common and collective obligation to deliver intuitive, intelligent and elegant digital services to citizens,” said NASCIO President and Delaware CIO James Collins. “It is imperative that we foster a culture and service delivery models that enable digital government that is accessible any time, from anywhere and on any device.”

Developed through interviews with state CIOs and an extensive survey answered by 48 states, this playbook synthesizes a multi-year effort which includes three reports and a recorded webinar (all are available on www.nascio.org). In this modernized operating model, a highly disciplined state CIO organization proactively engages with state agencies, understands current and emerging program and citizen needs, maintains market awareness of current and emerging trends and offerings and communicates with stakeholders at all levels.

Patrick Moore, Integris Applied Managing Director and former state of Georgia CIO noted, “The role of the CIO has been changing for years. Leadership, empathy and the ability to articulate a vision are more important qualities than understanding the ins and outs of a data center. This “Playbook” is intended to help governors, legislatures and CIOs understand the state CIO’s evolving role and the critical role the CIO occupies in any government enterprise.”

In the 2018 State CIO Survey, when asked how CIO organizations plan to deliver or obtain IT services over the next three years, responses support the idea that CIOs are continuing to shift the business model by expanding more shared services, as-a-service models, IT shared services model and managed services model. Indeed, the CIO as broker operating model is the future, and, thus, a topic NASCIO will continue to address.

The report is available for download on NASCIO’s website www.nascio.org.

National Harbor, MD, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has awarded Utah Governor Gary Herbert with the association’s 2019 Technology Champion Award. The announcement was made at the NASCIO 2019 Midyear Conference in National Harbor, MD.

For over 10 years, Governor Gary Herbert has exemplified leadership in public sector technology policy and practice. He has promoted improvements in aligning technology education with needs through his Governor’s Tech Pathways Program; expanded broadband services so that 96.6% of Utah households have access to broadband internet; championed digital government innovations which has led to greater savings and accesibility of government services; and underscored the importance of cybersecurity by opening the Utah Cyber Center in 2018.

“We thank Governor Herbert for his leadership, especially for his work as Chair of the National Governors’ Association. In that role he spearheaded a nationwide initiative which resulted in a repository of technology based solutions that are shared among states,” said James Collins, Delaware CIO and NASCIO President.

NASCIO created the Technology Champion Award in 2003 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to the field of information technology in the public sector. Recipients further NASCIO’s vision of a government in which the public is fully served through the efficient and effective use of technology policy.

Learn more about the NASCIO Technology Champion award and prior recipients at www.nascio.org/awards

LEXINGTON, Ky., February 21, 2019 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), which represents state CIOs, opposes state legislation which would mandate contractor monitoring software because of the significant risks to citizen privacy and federal regulatory compliance concerns it could create. While NASCIO certainly supports contractor productivity, cost efficiency and successful project outcomes, legislation of this nature could introduce unnecessary risks to citizen data by essentially transferring ownership of private citizen data to a third party. This type of legislation also has the potential for unintended consequences, such as impacting a state’s cybersecurity insurance policy coverage. State CIOs inherently understand and appreciate the seriousness of protecting citizens’ data, and therefore do not support legislation that could serve to increase or introduce additional risk.

LEXINGTON, Ky., January 30, 2019 — Matt Pincus has joined the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) as the director of government affairs. In this role, Pincus will be responsible for advancing NASCIO’s federal advocacy agenda, policy positions and strengthening the association’s alliances with key strategic partners. He will also work to ensure state chief information officer perspectives are represented in shaping federal legislation and policies on key state IT issues.

“Matt’s background and experience will perfectly situate him to help advance NASCIO’s federal affairs activities,” said Doug Robinson, NASCIO executive director. “I’m happy to welcome him to NASCIO.”

Pincus most recently served as deputy legislative director at the National Guard Association of the United States having previously served as a legislative assistant in the United States House of Representatives. He has a master’s degree in global security studies from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree from Skidmore College.

Pincus will be located in NASCIO’s Washington DC office at the Hall of States, 444 North Capitol Ave NW, Suite 642, Washington, DC 20001. He can be reached at [email protected].

To learn more about NASCIO’s government affairs and advocacy, including recently released 2019 federal advocacy priorities, visit www.nascio.org/advocacy.