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Eyragon Eidam

Eyragon is the Managing Editor for Industry Insider — California. He previously served as the Daily News Editor for Government Technology. He lives in Sacramento, Calif.

  • What to Know:
    • San Francisco is investing in key tech initiatives for the next decade, despite navigating an $800 million budget deficit.
    • Two major fiber projects will expand high-speed Internet to affordable housing and strengthen the city's digital infrastructure.
    • IT components are woven throughout broader infrastructure plans, presenting ongoing opportunities for tech vendors.
  • Doug Novak, a cybersecurity professional with decades of state government IT experience, has been selected to serve as the state's deputy chief information security officer.
  • What to Know
    • California’s finalized $321 billion budget includes emergency access to $17.6 billion in reserves from a special fund.
    • State leaders also streamlined environmental review for key projects such as broadband and manufacturing, moves aimed at addressing affordability and housing challenges.
    • The California Department of Technology’s budget holds steady at $798.8 million.
  • What to Know
    • Officials said the need to balance innovation with financial and workforce constraints has never been more critical, especially in light of a $4 billion settlement and reduced state and federal funding.
    • Vendors were urged to bring no-cost proof-of-concept projects, be familiar with agency-specific needs, and ensure they're registered as approved partners.
  • What to Know
    • The California Department of Technology is soliciting bids for a broad range of wireless services — including cellular, satellite and fixed wireless access — as part of its CALNET telecommunications program.
    • The state plans to award multiple contracts across specialized service categories, with final bids due by Aug. 25.
  • What to Know
    • San Jose faces a $45.8 million deferred maintenance backlog, with several mission-critical systems operating decades past their intended lifespans.
    • Some of the outdated technologies include the financial, human capital and business tax management systems.
    • The IT Department is pursuing a cloud-based modernization strategy where applicable.
  • Vendors interested in doing business with Los Angeles County's Probation Department should come prepared for the long haul. The department values long-term relationships and solutions that provide immediate value over flash and innovation.
  • What to Know
    • California lawmakers and Gov. Newsom reached a tentative agreement on a $321.1 billion budget, opting for fund shifts and borrowing to ease cuts.
    • The California Department of Technology’s budget, as of the May Revision, is $798.8 million.
  • IT leaders with the county's departments of Public Social Services, Internal Services and Probation outlined at an exclusive members' briefing their upcoming needs, their outlook on new technology and what they prefer to see from vendors.
  • Jennings comes to the company with more than 20 years of IT industry experience. He most recently held a position with cloud monitoring and security firm Datadog.
  • The Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, aims to replace its 20-year-old in-house system with a modern, paperless-capable Jury Management System.
  • What to Know
    • A multiyear hiring initiative includes 18 IT classifications, ranging from entry-level to supervisory roles, signaling the potential need for digital infrastructure and support personnel.
    • CAL FIRE’s operating budget is set to grow from $4.17 billion in FY 2024-25 to $4.47 billion in FY 2025-26, budget negotiations notwithstanding.
    • CAL FIRE is prioritizing mission-critical improvements such as the CAD and GIS enhancement project. Solicitation was in May.
  • What to Know
    • Late last week, state lawmakers passed a slimmed-down $327 billion version of Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed May budget.
    • The state is working against a $12 billion budget shortfall, down significantly from the 2024-25 fiscal year shortfall that topped $46 billion.
    • Lawmakers and the governor will now negotiate the finer points of the legislation ahead of a June 27 deadline.
  • What to Know
    • The California Report on Frontier AI Policy outlines regulatory principles prioritizing transparency, risk mitigation, post-deployment oversight and evidence-based policymaking.
    • It categorizes AI risks into malicious, malfunction and systemic threats, urging early governance interventions to minimize potentially irreversible harm.
    • Released amid federal efforts to limit state-level AI laws, the report emphasizes California’s role in shaping national policy frameworks.
  • Two state departments are seeking executive IT leadership; another seeks an IT specialist to oversee cybersecurity and anti-fraud operations.
  • What to Know
    • The county's annual IT budget is estimated at more than $1 billion.
    • Officials from the departments of Public Social Services, Internal Services and Probation will share ongoing initiatives and upcoming opportunities.
    • The June 24 briefing will be held exclusively for Industry Insider members in Hacienda Heights, Calif.
  • Kelly, who has been with Accenture for the last 12 years, says his superpower is pushing the limits of convention and finding innovative solutions to age-old government problems.
  • What to Know
    • LAUSD has issued an RFP for a security operations center-as-a-service (SOCaaS) vendor, worth up to $6.6 million.
    • The district is seeking vendors to manage security information and event management (SIEM) and security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR) technologies.
    • The district is facing "significant financial headwinds" with a $94.5 million deficit for FY2025-26.
  • The relatively young cloud security company Wiz has been on a growth spurt in recent years. Now, SLED expert Bruce Koop has joined its ranks as western regional manager.
  • Chao, a technologist with more than three decades of experience, has joined cloud application monitoring and security company Datadog as a strategic account executive.
  • What to Know
    • The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is preparing to release a solicitation for the second phase of its Enterprise Asset Management System project, estimated at $1.5 million.
    • The first phase involved replacing the legacy Ellipse system with INFOR, and details about the second phase will be very limited until an RFP is published later this month.
  • What to Know
    • Modesto’s $639.2 million FY 2025–26 budget includes major IT investments; $15.8 million is allocated to the IT Department.
    • Planned tech projects include a citizen service portal, a new procurement and billing system, smart city infrastructure, and cybersecurity upgrades.
  • What to Know
    • Senate Bill 243 would create new reporting and audit requirements for operators of so-called "companion chatbots."
    • The legislation, authored by Sen. Steve Padilla, was approved in a 28-4 vote and sent to the Assembly for review June 4.
  • What to Know
    • Under Executive Order N-22-25, many state workers are expected to return to physical offices as of July 1.
    • A letter from a bipartisan group of lawmakers seeks to postpone the return until an impending audit is received and can be studied.
  • What to Know
    • The departments are in search of an information security analyst, an agile delivery manager and a modern development branch chief.
  • What to Know
    • More than $2.3 million was allocated to upgrade the regional justice information system with AI tools, cloud migration, and enhanced infrastructure.
    • Significant funding has been earmarked for toll tech upgrades, including $14.5 million for system maintenance and over $5 million for improved customer service.
    • More than $1.8 million will be invested in transportation modeling, regional forecasting, GIS tools, and research tools.
  • What to Know:
    • San Diego faces a $258 million deficit in the coming fiscal year, driving tough and programmatic shifts.
    • The IT department’s proposed $139.4 million budget appears to be a slight increase over the previous fiscal year.
    • Guided by its FY25–FY29 strategic plan, city IT is focusing on resilience, security, digital equity and service modernization.
  • What to Know:
    • Santa Clara County’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan outlines $8.6 billion in planned projects through 2035.
    • The upcoming fiscal year includes $1.2 million for data center improvements.
    • Despite a $70 million deficit, the county is investing heavily in tech, infrastructure and sustainability in the coming years.
  • The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has issued a solicitation for technology, digital and data consulting related to its computer-aided dispatch system.
  • The Riverside County Board of Supervisors recently approved new funding for several IT projects throughout the jurisdiction. Unrelated to that action, an RFP has also been issued for a new infrastructure management platform.