News
Top Story
What to Know:
- TxDMV is replacing its legacy Registration and Title System through a phased project expected to take three biennia.
- The 89th Legislature approved $125 million for the system modernization.
- The plan includes $49 million in technology replacement and upgrade projects across fiscal years 2027-2031.
Top News Stories
What to Know:
- Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state regulators to audit data center projects before they can connect to the Texas power grid.
- Developers must disclose ownership, tax incentives and projected power and water use.
- Data centers make up about 90 percent of ERCOT’s 474 gigawatts in pending large-load requests.
What to Know:
- Minchew brings about eight years of technology sales and account management experience.
- His career has centered on supporting public-sector technology customers across Texas.
- He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in business marketing and management from Texas Tech University.
What to Know:
- The replacement plan covers core infrastructure, employee devices, security cameras, audiovisual systems and emergency communications equipment.
- Information Security funding would rise 21.1 percent, supporting zero-trust access, network detection, penetration testing and expanded risk management.
- Other planned work includes new asset-management software, traffic-management computers and foundational development for an AI-enabled digital service portal.
What to Know:
- Wilkinson will begin the role Aug. 17 and lead Dallas’ enterprise information security program.
- He brings more than 25 years of technology, cybersecurity, risk management and operational leadership experience.
- His background includes 26 years of military service and senior roles at MUFG, Lockheed Martin and Wells Fargo.
What to Know:
- The forthcoming request for offers will cover services and equipment supporting end-user computing environments.
- The solicitation will be offered through the Department of Information Resources’ Cooperative Contracts Program.
- DIR plans to post the RFO Aug. 11.
What to Know:
- The audit will examine how the Broadband Development Office evaluated applications, changed payment terms and documented award decisions.
- Lawmakers questioned whether some satellite and middle-mile projects received favorable treatment despite competing proposals or existing service.
- Providers called for clearer scoring, stronger mapping, better challenge procedures and more explanation when applications are rejected.
What to Know:
- The department’s current City Hall space has reached its limits for equipment weight, cooling capacity and continued infrastructure growth.
- The new facility will house networks, cybersecurity operations, telephone systems, servers and backup equipment, with generator-supported emergency power.
- Tyler’s IT operation supports city departments, local 911 infrastructure and technology services for the city of Whitehouse.
What to Know:
- Lawmakers discussed mandatory reporting on electricity, water and project benefits as a condition of receiving the exemption.
- Witnesses urged the state to give host communities more control over local tax incentives, infrastructure demands and land-use impacts.
- The committee took no vote, leaving repeal, restructuring and other safeguards for possible consideration next session.
What to Know:
- HHSC plans to modernize cybersecurity with Zero Trust access, continuous monitoring and post-quantum cryptography.
- Data priorities include analytics for fraud detection, data stewardship policies and a connected analytics data mart.
- The agency is seeking higher IT procurement thresholds, citing overlapping reviews and longer timelines for large technology projects.
What to Know:
- The existing Flock Safety program remains in place, with no new review process or ballot measure approved.
- Council members cited public safety benefits alongside concerns about privacy, data access, retention and oversight.
- The council must vote before Aug. 17 on whether to put the issue on the November ballot.
What to Know:
- The policy creates a formal process for complaints and review when the agency’s use of AI produces an adverse outcome.
- It emphasizes human review, privacy, security, transparency and agency accountability.
- The policy governs the coordinating board, not Texas colleges and universities.
What to Know:
- All nine items moved through the consent agenda, with only the payment-processing amendment drawing separate comment.
- The package includes cybersecurity training, network threat management, data analytics and systems supporting city utilities and courts.
- The $20 million figure combines new contract ceilings, contract increases, grant funding and required city matches.
What to Know:
- Body-camera footage gives instructors a more accurate record for evaluating recruits and improving debriefs.
- Hiring departments can review the footage to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for continued training.
- Training academies have limited time to cover emerging tools, leaving some technology instruction to employing agencies.
What to Know:
- Dorothy Sinclair has spent more than 18 years with Texas Health and Human Services.
- Her current role includes oversight of a $2 billion biennial IT budget.
- The agency named Blanca Tondre as IT budget director in May.
What to Know:
- Automated security controls took the city and police websites offline after detecting an external threat.
- Officials said the event caused no network intrusion or loss of city data.
- Emergency, payment and permitting services remained available during the outage.
What to Know:
- Departments submitted $2.9 million in new IT requests.
- Proposed spending includes $726,000 for an enterprise resource planning project and $767,000 to replace end-of-life Cityworks software.
- Officials are also considering better mapping of water meters.
What to Know:
- The ONE-ATS initiative would transfer 191 IT positions from 15 departments without eliminating jobs.
- The city expects $5.8 million in technology savings from retiring redundant applications and contracts.
- Proposed funding includes updates to permitting, public-safety communications and enterprise software systems.
What to Know:
- Three servers and two storage devices are expected to reach end of life in November 2027, according to board materials.
- The proposal includes server and storage replacement, cloud-based disaster recovery, records management, website hosting and enterprise software costs.
- A separate staffing request includes technology-related positions for cybersecurity, data analysis and system support.
What to Know:
- Manukonda has served as the Texas Facilities Commission’s CIO since 2022.
- The General Land Office’s CIO post opened when Sean Peterson left in May for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
- Neither agency has publicly confirmed the personnel move.
What to Know:
- Vendors may need to document model ownership, government data sources, training practices and external data sharing.
- Testing, human oversight, retention, user feedback and encryption could become routine parts of agency reviews.
- Suppliers that cannot provide clear governance details may make it harder for agencies to complete required public disclosures.
What to Know:
- Harris County is moving toward vendor engagement to replace an enterprise resource planning system and purchase new tolling equipment and commercial permitting software.
- Other potential opportunities include vendor-management tools, traffic signal battery systems and upgrades tied to county software and 311 services.
- Many projects remain early-stage, with funding, scope and procurement schedules still pending.
Contributed Content
The biggest risk facing state and local governments is waiting too long to modernize. In a previous blog, I explored five trends shaping state and local government as AI, cloud and data change the way agencies fulfil their mission. Here, I explore one trend in greater depth: why the cost of delaying modernization now outweighs the cost of change.
Building identity infrastructure that is ready for modern risks
Delivering Content at Scale With AI: 4 Ways to Maintain Control
Upcoming Events
