What to Know:

• North Central Texas Council of Governments Chief Innovation Officer Tim Howell discussed AI pilots on a Technology Foresight Council panel.
• He said NCTCOG is approaching AI adoption through three pillars: governance, enablement and access.
• Howell said his organization has backed that approach with an AI committee, annual strategic planning, an agent governance framework, staff training and an innovation sandbox for testing tools before production.

What to Know:

• The city of Harlingen ended fiscal 2024-25 with a record $41.3 million fund balance and $66.5 million in revenue, both up from the prior year.
• An independent audit gave the city a clean opinion and found no instances of noncompliance tied to internal controls, signaling sound financial management.
• The city’s $37.4 million unassigned balance could cover about 191 days of operations, though officials said they are watching risks tied to retirement costs and state limits on property tax revenue.

What to Know:

• The site combines dashboards and reports from both agencies on topics including infectious disease, environmental health, violence prevention, maternal and child health, and chronic disease.
• Officials say the hub is meant to make public health data easier for residents, researchers and local partners to access and use.

What to Know:

• UT Dallas received a $700,000 Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant for a training cleanroom project on its Dallas campus.
• The cleanroom will support hands-on instruction in cleanroom operations, safety and semiconductor processing for students and new hires.
• The award adds UT Dallas to a growing list of Texas institutions receiving semiconductor funding for workforce training and research infrastructure.

What to Know:

• Frank Barker became CIO of the Texas Office of Court Administration in January.
• He brings about 30 years of technology experience, including public-sector leadership roles at the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
• Barker succeeds Casey Kennedy, who retired after 15 years leading judicial technology for Texas courts and judicial branch agencies.

A Guide for Texas Agencies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in government is accelerating, driven by pressure to improve service delivery, expand self-service and meet rising constituent expectations. But AI does not create maturity. Rather, it amplifies what already exists. Without strong content governance, AI introduces new risk rather than new value.

Modern identity solutions are key to service access and program integrity.

Overview