The governor’s budget director says he’ll ask legislators to create an I-T division with his department. The Office of Chief Information Officer merged with the Iowa Department of Management in 2022 and Department of Management director Kraig Paulsen has already brought most of the I-T staff from across state government into his agency. Paulsen says the consoliation is dramatically improving the state’s cybersecurity efforts.
Paulsen says he eliminated 55 open I-T positions within state government. Doug Jacobson, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Iowa State University, says it makes perfect sense to centralize I-T functions, as it gives the state better ability to monitor threats. But Jacobsen says top officials need to make sure every employee in state government is aware of potential security issues.
Legislators and Governor Terry Branstad created the Office of Chief Information Officer as an independent state agency in 2013 and made it responsible for technology services in state government. It’s also been responsible for distributing federal funds to expand broadband service in Iowa. (Reporting by Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)
