The Department of Labor (DoL) recently announced plans to partner with state agencies to strengthen the nationwide unemployment insurance (UI) system, “with a focus on how modern technology and digital practices can make state systems more accessible, resilient, and secure.”

Tarek Tomes, who serves the North Star State as the Commissioner of Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) and state Chief Information Officer (CIO), has adopted a unique formula for assessing state priorities for IT modernization efforts among state agencies.

The State of New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) announced that it awarded a $78 million contract to General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) on May 8 to modernize the state’s financial aid services platform.

The Department of Labor (DoL) announced new IT modernization plans this week that aim to improve the unemployment insurance (UI) programs launched as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot along with the Department of Assets, Information, and Services (AIS) have announced a new IT modernization approach that will enhance city services and provide transparency through broader access to data and continued privacy protections.

Despite a proclamation over the weekend from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., that he was a “no” on the existing version of Build Back Better Act legislation, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a Dear Colleague letter today that he plans to keep working on the reconciliation legislation until they “get something done.”

The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) plans to re-platform its case management system for child support, affecting approximately 131,000 children and their parents in the state.

For once, the biggest problem with engineering effective IT modernization may not boil down to a lack of money to tackle the job. That conclusion was a top-line takeaway from Republicans, Democrats, and private sector experts at a hearing of the House Government Operations Subcommittee hearing today on how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed state and local governments’ antiquated IT systems, and what governments should do about it now that pandemic conditions are easing in many areas.

The age of government IT systems has negatively impacted agencies’ missions and their ability to attract young talent, according to a recent report.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker filed legislation to spend $1.1 billion in state-wide capital projects for IT upgrades on April 11.