Priorities Podcast

StateScoop
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Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.

  1. Are states prepared for the digital accessibility deadline?

    1D AGO

    Are states prepared for the digital accessibility deadline?

    On April 24, states will be held to new accessibility standards for their websites. Some states are further along than others in being able to meet that deadline. Some states — including Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota and Texas — are ahead of the pack, said Marie Cohan, Texas’ statewide digital accessibility coordinator, while others are less prepared. But more states are jumping in, even without strong executive support or funding, said Jay Wyant, chief information accessibility officer of Minnesota: “In a lot of organizations, there have been a lot of people doing the work, the hard work, doing it without the organizational leadership.” And so the approaching deadline, he said, has presented an opportunity to do more. This week’s top stories: In recognition of the many creative — and sometimes offline — modes of influence employed by the nation’s adversaries, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul last week promoted Colin Ahern, formerly the state’s chief cyber officer, to serve as its first director of security and intelligence. Ahern said he’ll help protect the state from a doctrine of attack adopted by the nation’s adversaries that he described as “all of the above, all the time.” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly last week announced that state officials have reached an agreement with the Department of Agriculture, resolving a months-long dispute over access to sensitive food-assistance data. Kelly said the deal ensures Kansans’ personal information, including Social Security numbers, will not be shared with foreign governments. And after being named Nebraska’s interim chief information security officer last month, Bryce Bailey last week lost his interim status and will serve as the state’s top cybersecurity official for the foreseeable future. Bailey said he wants to “take cybersecurity to the next level,” a goal that includes bolstering the state’s cyber workforce, changing cybersecurity’s image and amassing enough data to demonstrate to government policymakers that cyber programs, like the federal State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, are worth keeping. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

    23 min
  2. Report about data privacy laws not protecting public servants

    FEB 25

    Report about data privacy laws not protecting public servants

    “People should not be forced to choose between serving their community and protecting their family,” Justin Sherman, interim vice president of the Public Service Alliance, told the Priorities Podcast. States’ data privacy laws are typically focused on protecting the public, but offer little to protect public servants, he said. “There are a growing number of cases where … individuals who want to harm a public servant, send them a death threat, show up to their kid’s school, try and kill them at work or something else, are using personal data to do so.” An analysis by his group found that data privacy laws fail in numerous ways, particularly by not requiring data brokers to redact sensitive personal information of government employees. Sherman argued that it’s possible to retain democratic transparency and also protect information like residential addresses or personal phone numbers. This week’s top stories: In a report published last week, the Minnesota Technology Advisory Council recommended that the state begin preparing for the emergence of quantum computing, which could pose new security risks to the state’s sensitive data. The annual report notes that quantum computing “introduces a new class of risk to traditional encryption methods that protect the state’s most sensitive financial and health data." A Romanian national this month pleaded guilty to selling credentials for a network operated by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. The initial access broker, who went by the online handle inthematrix1, pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining information from a protected computer and one count of aggravated identity theft. He's expected to be deported. As the United States prepares to host part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul this month announced that the state will receive $17.2 million in federal funding to combat illegal or unsafe drone flights. In June and July, the event’s matches will be played in Canada, Mexico and in 11 U.S. cities. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Soundcloud or Spotify.

    34 min
  3. 'High expectations' drove IT in Tim Walz's Minnesota, says outgoing CIO

    FEB 18

    'High expectations' drove IT in Tim Walz's Minnesota, says outgoing CIO

    “Technology is the engine of government,” and any administration looking to accomplish its policy objectives should hire a strong technology team. That’s the advice of Minnesota Chief Information Officer Tarek Tomes, who after nearly seven years, will soon step down for a CIO role with the University of Minnesota. For the Priorities Podcast, Tomes recalled Gov. Tim Walz’s request that he provide “no surprises.” In return, Tomes said, he received a vote of confidence that his department could deliver on high expectations. “When we have systems that are old or are not performing well, it’s because we choose to have them,” Tomes said. “It’s not because we have to have them.” He also remembered how technologists responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in his state: “The enduring memory was really two things. One was technologists meeting the moment, and the confidence that the executive branch really had that solutions could be crafted in a timely manner to meet those moments.” This week’s top stories: Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Friday announced that the state’s 40,000 executive-branch employees will receive access to a ChatGPT-powered artificial intelligence assistant, a first for state government. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday announced a new statewide board tasked with ensuring that emerging technologies are deployed securely and “responsibly.” Nevada’s technology department last week announced a new policy aimed at uniformly classifying the state’s data, a once arcane practice gaining celebrity in an age of AI and cyberattacks. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

    22 min
  4. State, local government cyber's 'new normal'

    FEB 11

    State, local government cyber's 'new normal'

    “A lot is going on” with state and local government cybersecurity in 2026, said Carlos Kizzee, senior vice president of MS-ISAC strategy and plans at the Center for Internet Security. He told the Priorities Podcast that he thinks government is going through yet another transition to a “new normal”: “A lot of our jurisdictions in the state, local, tribal and territorial community are adjusting to reduced funding, in some areas, increasingly sophisticated threats, both cyber and all-hazards.” Despite recently switching to a paid-membership model, CIS has seen fewer than 200 of its nearly 3,000 members apply for hardship discounts, an “absolutely phenomenal outcome,” he said. Joining him on the podcast was John D. Cohen, executive director of office of strategic programs and initiatives at the Center for Internet Security, who said the organization is working with law enforcement agencies and chief information security officers around the country, to help them meet cybersecurity threats moving “at internet speed.” This week’s top stories: Former California chief information officer Amy Tong has retired from state government. Tong, whose most recent role was as a senior counselor to Gov. Gavin Newsom, capped a 30-year career in public service. Tarek Tomes, Minnesota’s CIO, has also stepped down, accepting a role as CIO with the University of Minnesota. Tomes spent nearly seven years with the state government. In Pennsylvania, CIO Bryanna Pardoe recently shared how her first months in the role have been going after spending two years leading the state’s digital services efforts. She said she wants to bring that experience to the CIO role. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

    23 min
  5. Faced with budget constraints, federal pressure, states turn to modernization

    FEB 4

    Faced with budget constraints, federal pressure, states turn to modernization

    Faced with budget constraints and diminished support from the federal government, many states are turning to modernize their processes and technologies, according to a recent report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Melissa Maynard, a project director at Pew who authored that report, says states are feeling pressure, including from changes to Medicaid and SNAP programs, that will in many cases require them to foot the bill not only for increased state administration, but also to cover benefits costs. The solution to an out-of-control situation, she said, has been to manage what can be controlled. “If you’re in charge of a state, you want to roll up your sleeves and look comprehensively and look at everything that is within your power. And states are doing that,” she said on the Priorities Podcast. “Efficiency is becoming a very central focus for states as tightening budgets collide also with new advances in technology and especially AI.” Top stories this week: New Jersey Gov. Mikie (pronounced Mikey) Sherrill (pronounced Cheryl) on Monday named Kevin Dehmer, the state’s education commissioner, as her administration’s chief technology officer. Dehmer replaced Christopher Rein (pronounced Ryan), who stepped down last week. Sherrill has also announced the state will stand up a new web form to collect information from residents about potential infractions by federal immigration authorities. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani last week announced he’ll get rid of an AI-powered chatbot as part of his plan to close the city’s $12 billion budget gap. The chatbot, which received strong backing under former Mayor Eric Adams, had been found at times to provide incorrect or even illegal advice. A former product manager at the Colorado Digital Service recently announced a new website called the Colorado Digital Services Navigator. He said no assets were taken from his old job to create the website. State officials said they are planning, though, to launch a similar portal later this year. The employee, Brian Curtis, said he just wanted to give a birthday present to the state, which turns 150 on Aug. 1. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Soundcloud or Spotify.

    28 min
  6. When will BEAD networks finally be completed?

    JAN 28

    When will BEAD networks finally be completed?

    States are working toward approvals that could help them soon begin building out their broadband networks with funds from the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program. Drew Garner, director of policy engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, said this begins with getting plans approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a step 42 states and three territories have completed. Then states must gain approval from National Institute of Standards and Technology and begin selecting vendors, a step that so far only Louisiana has reached. It’s not yet clear when deployments will be complete or, when they are, how successful they’ll prove. One way to measure success, Garner said, is to look at the technologies being used. “Typically if you see a fiber connection, you can rest safe in that that is probably is going to be a very high quality connectivity that the household is receiving,” he said. “It’s a spectrum when it comes to the other technologies. Wireless may be great, it may not work. Satellite may be great, but in many cases if you have trees or hills or mountains or other buildings sort of obstructing your view of the sky, satellite may not work for those households.” Top stories this week: Attorney General Pam Bondi over the weekend demanded that Minnesota officials better cooperate with federal immigration authorities and that the state hand over its voter registration lists and safety-net benefits data. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz seemed unimpressed by the requests and, in an op-ed on Monday, excoriated the Trump administration for directing ICE to act so aggressively and “illegally” in his state. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced the state is adding new restrictions on certain hardware, software and artificial intelligence tools tied to the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. The expanded list includes a range of companies involved in AI, surveillance technology, networking equipment, consumer electronics and e-commerce platforms. From locating avalanche victims to assessing unstable snow and supporting disaster recovery across vast, remote areas, drones and remote control systems are becoming critical tools for keeping residents and first responders safe in Alaska. Shannon McCarthy, communications director at the state’s transportation department, said that drones proved particularly useful during a recent typhoon that brought 107 mph winds and destroyed hundreds of homes. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

    25 min
  7. The technologies modernizing Alaska's avalanche management

    JAN 21

    The technologies modernizing Alaska's avalanche management

    In Alaska, state officials responsible for keeping the public safe from avalanches are increasingly looking to use commercial products, such as drones, roadside sensors and digital maps to reduce their reliance on military technologies. Timothy Glassett, Alaska’s statewide avalanche and artillery program manager, says on the Priorities Podcast that the system currently used to spur “preventative” avalanches — “We try not to use the word controlled because we can’t really control nature,” he says — is an M101A1 howitzer that fires 105mm rounds. He says it was designed and built in 1928. Drones and other commercial products, along with alternative “exploder systems,” he says, are a welcome addition to a state trying to transition away from technology nearly one century old. This week’s top stories: The Minnesota Department of Human Services last week distributed data breach notification letters disclosing that the demographic records of nearly 304,000 people had been compromised last fall. An unauthorized user also accessed more detailed information — including Medicaid ID numbers and partial Social Security numbers — of more than 1,200 people. California is not required to turn over its full voter registration list to the federal government, after a federal judge last week granted a motion to dismiss a Department of Justice lawsuit filed last September. District judge David O. Carter said he was unpersuaded by the DOJ’s attempts to use provisions of the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Act to force the state to share entire unredacted voter rolls containing the sensitive personal information of millions of residents. The Illinois Accountability Commission last week made it easier for residents to share information about possible misconduct by federal agents with the launch of a web form that allows people to submit videos, written accounts or other information. The effort comes after a recent Department of Homeland Security operation in Chicago known as Operation Midway Blitz, aimed at arresting illegal immigrants and cracking down on sanctuary cities. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Soundcloud or Spotify.

    22 min
  8. States are trying to reduce SNAP error rates to keep the program alive

    JAN 14

    States are trying to reduce SNAP error rates to keep the program alive

    Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program brought about by H.R. 1 could mean millions or even billions of dollars of additional costs for states. The civic tech nonprofit Code for America is helping some states reduce their error rates, through technology and process changes, to help them reduce the benefit amount they’d be required to cover, as opposed to by federal dollars, after the Donald Trump administration’s sweeping changes. Rebecca Piazza, executive director of safety net strategy at Code for America, says the expanded work reporting requirements and financial restructuring of the program is putting “a lot more strain on programs and program staff” in the states. “We’re really encouraging states to use data to prioritize where they should be focusing,” she says. “What are the areas of highest impact of bringing down that error rate?” AI and other automation technologies can help, she says, by spotting blurry documents, extracting data from uploaded images of pay stubs or combining multiple applications mistakenly submitted by the same person. This is critical work, she says, because states that aren’t able to reduce their SNAP error rates and lower the benefit amounts they’re required to cover, could put their program “at risk” — for states, SNAP participation is not mandatory. This week’s top stories: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last week appointed Amanda Crawford, the state’s chief information officer and executive director of the Texas Department of Information Resources as the state’s commissioner of insurance. Officials said they’ll soon announce a replacement to lead the state’s technology department. New York State’s technology office this week announced Eleonore Fournier-Tombs, a United Nations University researcher, has been appointed as chief artificial intelligence officer, replacing Shreya Amin, who spent less than a year in the role. The state also named a new chief digital officer. Florida is strengthening animal welfare protections with the passage of Dexter’s Law, a new statute designed to prevent repeat animal abuse and improve accountability across the state. Named after a shelter dog whose inhumane death in 2023 sparked public outrage, the law responds to growing concerns that individuals convicted of animal cruelty were still able to adopt or obtain pets with little oversight. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.

    25 min
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About

Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.

Information

  • Creator
    StateScoop
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Priorities Podcast

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