NASCIO Releases Publication on Artificial Intelligence in State Government

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Tuesday, August 28 — On Tuesday, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released a new publication entitled, “Ready for Prime Time? State Governments Tune in to Artificial Intelligence.”

NASCIO’s latest publication discusses the definitions around artificial intelligence (AI), the challenges, opportunities and applications. The report also lays out several examples of how states are using AI, along with considerations for development and implementation of AI. From their role as change managers, to involvement in procurement, the publication also outlines the implications for state CIOs.

“Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and robotic process automation have increasingly been getting the attention of the state CIO. It was time for NASCIO to shine a spotlight on what states are doing and the possibilities for the next several years,” explained NASCIO Executive Director Doug Robinson.

You can find this publication at https://www.nascio.org/ResourceCenter.

NASCIO Announces Annual Conference Cities for 2020 and 2021

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Wednesday, August 1, 2018 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) is pleased to announce the host cities for their 2020 and 2021 Annual Conferences. The NASCIO Annual Conference gives state CIOs and members of their staff the opportunity to come together with the many private-sector solution providers for education and networking.

The Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, Minnesota will play host to the conference on October 11-14, 2020. NASCIO will return to the newly remodeled Hyatt Regency in Seattle, Washington on October 10-13, for the 2021 conference.

“For the first time in more than 20 years, NASCIO will be holding their annual conference in Minneapolis and Seattle,” stated Doug Robinson, NASCIO Executive Director. “Minneapolis and Seattle were listed as the 9th and 10th best place to live, respectively, by US News and World Report and offer two very unique experiences for our conference attendees to enjoy. We are confident that our members are looking forward to spending time in these fantastic host cities.”

To learn more about NASCIO’s Annual Conference, visit our website at www.NASCIO.org.

NASCIO President, OK CIO James “Bo” Reese Testifies on State Impact of Federal Regulations before House Oversight, Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

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WASHINGTON, D.C., Wednesday, July 18 — Today NASCIO President and Oklahoma Chief Information Officer, James “Bo” Reese, testified before the House Oversight, Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee at their hearing, “Regulatory Divergence: Failure of the Regulatory State.” Reese’s testimony focused on the impact that federal cybersecurity regulations have on state IT consolidation/optimization and cybersecurity investments. Reese thanked the Subcommittee to for their support to address this issue and highlighted full committee Chairman Trey Gowdy’s (R-SC) GAO request sent in October 2017 requesting a GAO study on “the extent and impact of information security and privacy requirements, and related audits, have on state programs.”

Reese highlighted Oklahoma’s IT unification efforts in his testimony and noted that his state has reaped $372 million in savings and cost avoidance through this effort. “State CIOs seek to be good stewards of state taxpayer dollars while also working to effectively and efficiently meet the technology and IT needs of state agencies. We deeply appreciate the interest of the House Oversight, Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee in helping us address the burden of federal regulations and its impact to states in their IT consolidation journey,” said Reese about the hearing.   

In his testimony, Reese brought attention to several federal regulations that pose obstacles for state IT consolidation/optimization and risk-based cybersecurity investments. Reese also called on federal regulatory agencies to collaborate with state CIOs to harmonize disparate federal regulations and normalize the audit process.

To read the full testimony of President Reese, click here.

 

NASCIO Named Silver Award Recipient in American Society of Association Executives Power of A Program

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Wednesday, June 20 – The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has been named a Silver Award recipient in the 2018 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Power of A program for its Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity study. 

The Power of A awards recognize associations that distinguish themselves with innovative, effective and broad-reaching programs and activities that positively impact America and the world. The Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity study, a biennial report begun in 2010, details how states are managing cyber risks. Throughout the years the study has continued to gain visibility, with this most recent release being cited in the White House's FY19 Budget Request as the most "comprehensive study of state-level cybersecurity spending."

Noting the significance of the study to NASCIO members, Elayne Starkey, Chief Security Officer for the State of Delaware shared, "The Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity study is incredibly helpful to states for measuring and comparing our progress against other states. The study has assisted Delaware in addressing and preparing for current and future cybersecurity threats."

As Meredith Ward, NASCIO Senior Policy Analyst and project lead stated, "I'm so very proud of this study, the success of which is directly tied to the dedication and participation of our state Chief Information Security Officers (CISO). They are an incredible group of individuals who work day and night to protect our states. I look forward to releasing the newest iteration of the study this fall where, for the first time, all 50 states participated."

A full list of Power of A award recipients for 2018 can be found on the ASAE website.

NASCIO Applauds FEMA Grant Guidance that Includes CIOs and CISOs in Senior Advisory Committee and Urban Area Working Group

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Tuesday, May 22, 2018 — Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released grant guidance for FY 2018 preparedness grants which requires state chief information officers (CIO) and state chief information security officers (CISO) to be included in the Senior Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Urban Area Working Group (UAWG). The SAC and the UAWG are charged with coordinating preparedness activities across disciplines and stakeholders with the goal of maximizing coordination and reducing duplication of effort.

NASCIO applauds the inclusion of state CIOs and CISOs in the FEMA grants process especially as states and localities increasingly combat cybersecurity threats directed at government. “Cybersecurity is a top priority for state CIOs. Our CIO and CISO community looks forward to collaborating with our state emergency management and homeland security partners to enhance the capability of state and local governments to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards including and especially cybersecurity threats,” said Bo Reese, NASCIO president and Oklahoma CIO. 

For the past five years, cybersecurity has been ranked as the number one priority for state CIOs according to the annual NASCIO Top Ten survey. Additionally, inclusion in the FEMA grants process directly addresses some of the top challenges to state government cybersecurity as reported by state CISOs in the 2016 Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity Study: lack of sufficient funding (80 percent), increasing sophistication of threats (45 percent), and lack of visibility and influence within the enterprise (33 percent). State CIOs and CISOs are uniquely positioned to assist state and local governments respond to and recover from cyber attacks in the government domain and are encouraged to see FEMA grant guidance reflect the willingness of state CIOs and CISOs to contribute their knowledge and expertise in the wider homeland security discussion.

“State CIOs and CISOs have long regarded emergency management and homeland security professionals as partners in protecting public assets, both physical and digital. This is why NASCIO released the Cyber Disruption Response Planning Guide in 2016, because we anticipated the rise of cyber threats within government and wanted to provide guidance on how to prepare for this type of attack,” said Doug Robinson, executive director of NASCIO.

NASCIO is encouraged by the grant guidance to include our membership as a partner in homeland security. We look forward to collaborating with our state colleagues.

NASCIO Members and Conference Attendees Give Back to Baltimore, Host City of the 2018 Midyear Conference

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Total donation of $11,011 provided to local Baltimore organization

LEXINGTON, Ky., Monday, May 7, 2018 – The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) provided a $11,011 donation to the Digital Harbor Foundation (DHF), a Baltimore organization dedicated to fostering learning, creativity, productivity and community through education. Donations were collected during the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Baltimore through the Give Back program to thank the host community. NASCIO state, corporate and nonprofit members donated $5,011 through individual contributions and NASCIO provide a $3,000 donation. In addition to funds raised from individual attendees, NASCIO member CompTIA SLED Council gave a kickoff gift of $3,000.

DHF uses technology and career-readiness education to help youth, especially girls, minorities, and youth from low-income backgrounds, become productive, economically sustainable adults that give back to their communities. NASCIO Give Back will specifically fund DHF's Summer Maker Camps, which teach skills in high-growth technologies including 3D printing, electronics, web design and programming. All camps are offered on a pay-what-you-can model, so financial considerations are never a barrier for participation.

"In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to create with technology is an essential skill for youth to have," said Andrew Coy, executive director of the Digital Harbor Foundation. "But, more than teaching any one skill, in DHF programs youth learn how to learn, to iterate, and not to be afraid of failure. These skills and traits will follow youth in their careers, personal lives and wherever their futures take them."

"DHF's pay-what-you-can model for our youth programs lies at the core of our values – to be open for any young person who wants to join in," said Adena Moulton, Development Manager at DHF. "NASCIO's generous donation will help ensure Baltimore youth have access to our Summer Maker Camps, no matter their background, previous experience or family income. In addition, the opportunity to engage with technology leaders from across the country inspired the kids' vision of the kinds of contributions they are already making to the tech world at large, and the sort of potential they have for the future. They are the best evidence we can offer of the impact a program like this can have."

To learn more about the Digital Harbor Foundation, visit www.digitalharbor.org.

State CIOs advocate for strong intergovernmental partnership to harmonize federal cybersecurity regulations and normalize the audit process

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WASHINGTON, D.C. Wednesday, April 25, 2018 – Today, the NASCIO members met with strategic partners and federal officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of Safeguards, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services (FBI-CJIS) to discuss and advocate for strong intergovernmental partnerships, especially harmonizing disparate federal cyber regulations to which state government IT organizations are subject.

Nearly 60 state CIOs and state technology officials participated in NASCIO's 2018 Fly-In where they advocated to advance NASCIO's advocacy priorities including the need to harmonize disparate and often conflicting federal cybersecurity regulations. Participants also advocated for the normalization of the corresponding federal regulations audit process. Specifically, state CIOs engaged with the IRS Office of Safeguards and FBI-CJIS to discuss how state governments can comply with federal regulations while also moving forward on state IT priorities like IT consolidation/optimization. Often, federal information security regulations can impede the IT consolidation/optimization process.

Regarding the federal engagement, NASCIO President and Oklahoma CIO, Bo Reese said, "The state of Oklahoma has reaped $372 million in cost savings and avoidance through our IT unification effort. In seeking IT unification for the state of Oklahoma, however, compliance with conflicting federal cybersecurity regulations was a major impediment. We are pleased to host the IRS Office of Safeguards and the FBI-CJIS at the NASCIO Fly-In so that state CIOs and our federal partners can work together to not only meet compliance requirements but also enhance the cybersecurity posture of the state, which will further enable state CIOs to make efficient use of taxpayer dollars through initiatives similar to Oklahoma's IT unification."

Participants also engaged with representatives from the National Governors Association (NGA), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). Representatives from NGA, NCSL, and NASS spoke to their respective organizational priorities, reflected on past partnership with NASCIO and its members, and spoke to major initiatives happening within their organizations.

NASCIO's annual D.C. Fly-In convenes state CIOs and NASCIO's federal and strategic partners for a day of advocacy and discussion related to current government affairs priorities related to: recognizing the state CIO role in emerging technology, information sharing, and harmonizing federal cybersecurity regulations. It also serves as an opportunity for state CIOs to establish and strengthen key relationships with federal decision-makers.  

NASCIO Announces Site for 50th Anniversary Annual Conference

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BALTIMORE, Md., Tuesday, April 24, 2018— The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) is pleased to announce that Nashville, Tennessee has been selected as the host city for the 2019 Annual Conference. The conference will be held October 13-16, 2019 at the JW Marriott – a new luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Nashville opening July  2018.

The year marks the organization’s 50th anniversary. Bo Reese, NASCIO President and Chief Information Officer from the state of Oklahoma, noted, “The annual conference is NASCIO’s premier event each year. Nashville and all it has to offer will provide an outstanding backdrop for this very special year.”

Doug Robinson, NASCIO Executive Director, stated, “NASCIO held their 2014 annual conference in Nashville and it set attendance records. Add this fantastic host city and beautiful new host hotel to the fact that we’ll be marking an organizational milestone, and 2019 is setting up to be a very special year for NASCIO.”

To learn more about NASCIO’s Annual Conference, visit our website at www.NASCIO.org.

NASCIO Technology Champion Award Honors Oregon Governor Kate Brown

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Baltimore, MD., Monday, April 23, 2018 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has awarded Oregon Governor Kate Brown with the association’s 2018 Technology Champion Award. The announcement was made at the NASCIO 2018 Midyear Conference in Baltimore, MD.

The award honors outstanding individual contributions in 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.

“NASCIO and its members applaud Governor Brown’s leadership around cybersecurity, broadband, managing data as a strategic asset and modernizing IT procurement,” said Bo Reese, Oklahoma CIO and NASCIO President. “The benefits of these contributions extend outside Oregon’s borders, serving as examples nation-wide and demonstrating the transformative role IT can have in state government.”

Since taking office, Governor Brown has strengthened Oregon’s cybersecurity posture. Efforts include the creation of the cross-sector Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, which brings together Oregon’s cyber-related industries, private sector practitioners, educational institutions, law enforcement and local governments to build tangible solutions to protect the digital lives or Oregonians. Governor Brown has also focused on leveraging data, establishing an Open Data standard for the management of data as a strategic asset and appointing a Chief Data Officer.

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

NASCIO Releases State CIO as Broker: A New Model

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Wednesday, April 18 — The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has released a first in a series on the topic of “multisourcing” describing the need for a new operating model for orchestrating a wide portfolio of resources for delivering government IT services.

NASCIO is conducting research this year on the topic of multisourcing and the bringing together of multiple service providers, both internal and external, using a new operating model.  A key role in this operating model is the Multisourcing Service Integrator or MSI. States are looking for ways to deliver on demand for a more diversified portfolio of services and technologies.  In order to that meet demand and maintain enterprise wide standards the new operating model that is emerging can appear to be fairly complex.  NASCIO’s research project is intended to help forge the way forward to provide best practices and a maturity assessment for states.

Dr. Craig Orgeron, co-chair of the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture & Governance Committee and chief information officer for the state of Mississippi stated, “States are advancing in their service and technology portfolios to include a wide variety of partners, technologies and underlying architectures.  We have to employ a new operating model that will provide the critical capabilities for effectively organizing and managing these elements, so they can be orchestrated to deliver a set of coordinated solutions across the state government enterprise.”

“We’re highlighting a framework for describing and managing the necessary inherent change toward this new operating model that takes into consideration political and market forces, maintains a customer focus, and leverages best practices in areas such as procurement and delivery,” stated Eric Boyette, co-chair of the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture & Governance Committee and chief information officer for the state of North Carolina. “These forces are then grounded on certain change principles.  Most important is ensuring decisions are made with the citizen in mind.”

NASCIO will continue its research through 2018 culminating with a final report to be released at the NASCIO Annual Conference in October 2018.

The report is available for download at https://www.nascio.org/ResourceCenter.