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What to Know:
- County officials have not publicly identified the cause of the disruption or specified which systems were affected.
- Emergency and other essential public safety services remained available while restoration work continued.
- The Aug. 11 Commissioners Court agenda includes an IT transition update and a separate closed-session discussion of network security and critical infrastructure.
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What to Know:
- The Information Sharing and Analysis Organization will oversee three centers focused on stakeholders, cyber practices and innovation.
- The structure aligns with the command’s strategic plan priorities around information sharing, workforce development, research and emerging technologies.
- Texas Cyber Command is scaling toward 122 employees as it builds functions transferred from the Department of Information Resources.
Texas government technology leaders, including the state CIO, will discuss cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, agency priorities and opportunities for industry collaboration at the Sept. 1 event in Austin.
What to Know:
- The proposal is about $3 million less than in the previous budget.
- Cybersecurity funding would decrease from the previous proposal, while data center consolidation and legacy modernization would rise.
- A $5 million advanced air mobility item includes planning for operational integration architecture, vertiport design and corridor delivery.
What to Know:
- Civix is making summer changes aimed at improving system speed, reporting and data indexing.
- The state spent about $660,000 onboarding 11 counties after VOTEC encountered financial problems.
- The Secretary of State’s Office is considering outside consultants to evaluate the system as a whole.
What to Know:
- Recurring software and hardware agreements would receive a $2.1 million increase across 174 contracts.
- Major projects include electronic health records, justice-system replacements and digital magistration.
- Capital plans cover end-of-life infrastructure and 884 county computers.
What to Know:
- Two rural health grant opportunities focus on AI, telehealth and cybersecurity services.
- Three technology procurements were pushed back, including data broker services and a public health electronic health record system.
- HHSC did not provide estimated values for the newly listed grant opportunities.
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.
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.
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
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