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What to Know:
- Texas has suspended all new and renewed HUB certifications as it reviews the program for compliance.
- The freeze may reduce the number of eligible vendors, making it harder for agencies to meet state-mandated HUB participation goals.
- Planned revisions aim to remove race- and gender-based eligibility, signaling a shift toward race- and sex-neutral certification criteria. Provisions relating to veterans may survive the changes.
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With the largest IT capital budget in the state, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is planning major procurements for video surveillance, application support and more.
What to Know:
- As the central IT agency, DIR oversees statewide procurement vehicles, cybersecurity programs, data center services and cloud offerings.
- For Fiscal Year 2026, DIR has received $9.3 million for IT capital items and operates under a total budget of $779 million.
- DIR is shifting its focus from cybersecurity toward its Innovation Lab and new AI Division.
Two local government IT leaders spoke in Dallas about what they are seeing on the AI front in North Texas and beyond. Deployments require buy-in, training and written policy.
Local cybersecurity leaders recently discussed various components of their incident response planning, including regular reviews, cross-team involvement and communication within and without the security office.
What to Know:
- The county’s Technology and Operations department is allocated $91.4 million.
- Several departments are investing in targeted software, hardware and digital platforms.
- Technology funding also extends into departmental programs.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice recently briefed its board on a portfolio of major IT projects, most of which are funded by the state’s capital budget and in early procurement stages.
What to Know:
- TxDOT oversees planning and operations across highways, bridges, aviation and rail.
- The department’s $203 million IT capital budget includes funding for cybersecurity, modernization, data initiatives and infrastructure-related technologies.
- The department’s FY 2025–29 strategic plan prioritizes automation, data integration and digital modernization.
What to Know:
- HHSC supports operations for programs such as Medicaid, SNAP and WIC, and also oversees the Department of State Health Services.
- With $1.1 billion allocated for technology-related initiatives, the agency’s funding spans major modernization efforts.
- HHSC is focused on expanding artificial intelligence use, defending against cybersecurity threats and improving its data-driven decision-making.
What to Know:
- The county’s Universal Services department is set to receive $141 million in base funding.
- A separate $11 million allocation will fund long-term capital investments.
- Public Safety Technology Services is budgeted at $24 million.
What to Know:
- Texans can now upgrade driver’s licenses and renew boat registrations through the TxT digital assistant platform.
- More than 10.8 million users have created TxT accounts since the platform’s public launch in 2022.
- TxT is a joint effort by DIR and multiple state agencies, with services developed in partnership with DPS and TPWD and operated by Deloitte.
Kelley brings more than 20 years of IT experience to the role, spanning infrastructure operations, enterprise services and technical project management.
What to Know:
- Tony Sauerhoff has been appointed chief AI and innovation officer at the Department of Information Resources.
- He'll be tasked with leading the agency's forthcoming AI Division.
- He previously served as Texas’ chief information security officer. DIR's cyber functions are moving to the new Texas Cyber Command.
What to Know:
- The city of Sugar Land experienced a cyber incident on Oct. 9 affecting internal systems.
- Emergency services remain operational; utility disconnections and late fees are temporarily suspended.
- The city is investigating with law enforcement and providing updates via its website and official channels.
The CDO will report to executive leadership and oversee the development of enterprise data architecture, policies and procedures that support data quality, integrity and security.
What to Know:
- Texas Cyber Command (TXCC) is hiring two cybersecurity analysts to support threat research and incident response as part of its statewide cyber modernization push.
- Both roles are housed within the Office of the State CISO, with responsibilities that include developing detection tools, analyzing threats and building incident response capacity.
- Successful applicants will help stand up the statewide Cybersecurity Incident Response Team under TXCC by 2026.
What to Know:
- The Texas Comptroller is seeking input on mass email platforms for accessible constituent outreach.
- The platform should support features like responsive design, email authentication, analytics and role-based access.
- Requested features include A/B testing, email previews, personalization, accessibility compliance and data retention support.
Industry Insider — Texas is pleased to welcome Optimum to the Industry Insider family.
What to Know:
- The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program will allow eligible families to apply for state funds to cover a range of educational expenses.
- Odyssey will provide an end-to-end platform to manage the program, including a parent-facing application portal, e-commerce marketplace and customer support services.
- Odyssey’s CEO, Joseph Connor, said the company is prepared to deploy a “user-friendly and trustworthy platform” based on its experience managing similar programs in other states.
Gambetta has been with IBM for nearly 15 years, helping drive advancements in quantum software, hardware and cloud-based experimentation.
What to Know:
- Sharon AI and New Era Energy & Digital are collecting bids for site clearing, which is expected to begin within 60-90 days.
- The campus is designed to scale to 1 gigawatt or more, supporting growing demand for AI and GPU-driven infrastructure.
- The site is in an air-quality attainment zone, a positive factor differentiating it from other data center projects.
What to Know:
- The Texas Cyber Command website is live and recruiting for top IT roles, including a director of IT services.
- The command is centralizing the state’s cybersecurity infrastructure with $345 million in funding.
- The agency is building three technical units under newly appointed Cyber Chief T.J. White.
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