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Industry Insider — Texas will not be sending a morning newsletter on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The next newsletter will hit your inbox on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
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What to Know:
- Texas HHS is requiring secure, accessible and interoperable technology solutions, with upfront compliance on cybersecurity and Section 508 accessibility standards.
- Vendors using AI must follow strict state guidelines, including bans on using HHS data for training and expectations to share cost efficiencies.
- HHS is in the early stages of a 10-year modernization plan and is preparing to request funding from the Legislature for upcoming projects.
What to Know:
- Sugar Land City Council approved $2.8 million for autonomous drones, real-time crime center software and expanded license plate recognition cameras.
- Axon Enterprises will provide two drones and FUSUS software subscription under a $594,000 contract.
- Flock Group’s LPR camera contract was amended to add two cameras and consolidate leases, raising the total contract value to $2.3 million.
What to Know:
- Greenville piloted a fully digital hiring process for its police department in 2025, receiving nearly 300 applications and filling 10 officer positions, including six with prior experience.
- The success of the pilot prompted a citywide rollout in October, with the human resources department receiving more than 500 applications and making 20 additional hires since.
- Officials say digital recruiting has significantly reduced hiring timelines and expanded applicant reach, helping the city fill roles that previously remained open for months.
What to Know:
- Sauerhoff previously served as DIR’s chief AI and innovation officer and was recently named president of the GovRAMP Board.
- He succeeds Amanda Crawford, who was named as head of the Texas Department of Insurance.
- Steve Pier, DIR’s deputy executive director, was recently appointed to lead the Texas Workforce Commission.
What to Know:
- DIR Deputy Executive Director Steve Pier has been appointed executive director of the Texas Workforce Commission.
- Pier's move comes amid broader leadership changes at DIR, including the departure of Executive Director Amanda Crawford.
- At DIR, Pier has played a key role in agencywide initiatives, including government relations, risk management and strategic planning.
What to Know:
- Texas DIR will no longer award cooperative contracts based on specific brands, focusing instead on solutions and specifications.
- The new model is intended to increase vendor competition, reduce brand lock-in and improve pricing for agencies.
- Vendors can still submit offers if their products meet the functional requirements outlined in future solicitations.
What to Know:
- Casey Kennedy, former CIO of the Texas Office of Court Administration (OCA), has joined Mission Critical Partners as a project manager.
- He brings more than 30 years of IT and public-sector experience, including 15 years leading statewide judicial technology initiatives.
- Texas OCA has not named his replacement as of this writing.
What to Know:
- Texas Chief AI and Innovation Officer Tony Sauerhoff will become president of the GovRAMP Board, succeeding Arizona CIO J.R. Sloan.
- GovRAMP supports government data security and risk‑based decision-making, and the leadership change reflects efforts to expand its reach and collaboration across states.
- Sloan will continue his state IT leadership in Arizona and take on a new role as president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.
What to Know:
- Texas State Technical College will receive $3.5 million from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to expand its Accelerated Semiconductor Technician Training Program in Hutto.
- The program will prepare students for semiconductor fabrication careers in just 10 weeks, with training in wafer processing, gas control systems and cleanroom environments.
- This is the latest in a series of awards issued under the Texas CHIPS Act to grow the state’s semiconductor workforce and infrastructure.
As part of Industry Insider — Texas’ ongoing efforts to educate readers on state and local government, their IT plans and initiatives, here’s the latest in our periodic series of interviews with departmental IT leaders.
What to Know:
- Eligible applicants include Texas local governments and federally recognized tribes seeking to reduce cyber risk.
- Projects must align with the state’s cybersecurity plan and focus on one-time mitigation activities such as MFA, encryption or threat detection.
- Applications are due Feb. 12, with a minimum grant of $10,000 and a 30 percent local cost share.
The event will feature state IT and procurement leaders outlining statutory contract terms and vendor engagement opportunities.
What to Know:
- A local 911 authority approved $300,000 for AI-powered translation, transcription and quality control services ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
- Contracts were awarded to GovWorx, Prepared and RapidDeploy through a cooperative purchasing agreement.
- The system is expected to identify caller languages automatically and streamline interpreter access during emergency calls involving non-English speakers.
What to Know:
- Amanda Crawford has been appointed Texas Insurance Commissioner and will depart her role as executive director of the Department of Information Resources and state CIO.
- DIR confirmed Crawford’s exit and said leadership transition plans are forthcoming.
- As insurance commissioner, Crawford will oversee regulation of the state’s insurance industry, including consumer protection, rate review, licensing and disaster response coordination.
What to Know:
- The Texas Secretary of State is seeking a new chief information officer to lead agencywide IT strategy, operations and modernization.
- Current CIO Dan Teczar, who has served since 2018, has not publicly announced his departure, though a job posting for his replacement recently closed.
- The CIO oversees infrastructure, cybersecurity, compliance and interagency coordination for one of the state’s highest-profile executive offices.
What to Know:
- State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione has been named president of the Texas Blockchain Council and will lead efforts to expand the state's role in digital assets and emerging technologies.
- Capriglione will continue serving in the Texas House through January 2027 and currently chairs the new Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee.
- A longtime technology advocate, he previously sponsored legislation on AI, cybersecurity and blockchain infrastructure.
What to Know:
- The city-operated AI Factory processes real-time data from cameras, sensors and connected systems to enhance public safety, traffic control and emergency response, according to CIO Jorge Cardenas.
- The platform is powered by the city’s own fiber network and private 5G infrastructure, allowing for secure, high-speed data processing without relying on third-party cloud providers.
- Brownsville plans to offer compute capacity to neighboring cities that lack similar capabilities.
What to Know:
- Texas’ 2026–27 state budget includes more than $1 billion in IT capital funding for modernization across key agencies.
- Major initiatives include system overhauls at HHSC, TxDMV and DFPS, and creation of the new Texas Cyber Command.
- Agencies are expanding use of AI, automation and data integration, with new vendor opportunities expected in late 2025 and into 2026.
What to Know:
- The state of Texas spent about $6.3 billion on IT-related goods and services in Fiscal Year 2025.
- The Health and Human Services Commission and Department of Transportation were the top-spending agencies.
- Deloitte, Rackspace and the Texas Facilities Commission were among the highest-paid vendors.
What to Know:
- Several Texas agencies and cities appointed new CIOs in 2025, including Dallas, El Paso and the Office of Court Administration.
- Long-serving CIOs in San Antonio and statewide judicial services announced plans to retire.
- Agencies also added deputy CIOs to support cybersecurity, AI initiatives and IT modernization.
As we reflect on 2025, here are our picks for the largest, most impactful technology stories in Texas this year:
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