Cloud-Based Services

Alaska city turns to cloud to enhance emergency dispatch services

After losing power from a windstorm and a hurricane in recent years, the Fairbanks Emergency Communications Center is tapping into cloud technology to ensure dispatch services won’t be disrupted during future events.

Tech helps New Jersey house unsheltered veterans

More than 30,000 U.S. veterans were unsheltered last year. New Jersey is turning to a cloud-enabled platform to streamline and expedite efforts to get veterans in the state housed.

Minneapolis automates food permitting, removes ‘two-feet high’ paper stack

Having previously relied on handwritten permit applications and taking payment by phone, the city now uses cloud-based software to automate much of the process and make it more efficient.

Kentucky turns to tech to improve treatment court outcomes

The state’s Department of Specialty Courts is implementing a cloud-enabled, web-based system to more efficiently share court data and records in a bid to help case managers better engage with clients’ recovery.

Texas school district sees efficiency gains with e-procurement

At a time when shrinking budgets are impacting school closures in the state, the Arlington Independent School District has turned to tech to better manage spending.

State and local leaders look to FedRAMP changes as potential inspiration

The federal government is looking to cut red tape around its security assessment program and embrace automation. State and local leaders believe they can learn a lot from the revamp.

Wisconsin speeds up licensing amid shift to cloud platform

The state saw a 35% increase in the number of licenses it issued in 2023-2024 compared to any other two-year period.

Exclusive: StateRAMP to rebrand later this year

The voluntary program will be rebranded as “GovRAMP” to better reflect that its offerings can be used by local governments, educational institutions and others, the organization’s executive director told Route Fifty.

Missouri city turns to tech to improve snow removal

Kansas City’s snowplow operators are clearing snow quicker and keeping residents safer with the help of a cloud-hosted platform.

California to kick off first open enrollment season with automated system

The state piloted using artificial intelligence to help with automatic enrollment. Now this year’s open enrollment period is underway, the new system faces its first test.

Errors in Deloitte-run Medicaid systems can cost millions and take years To fix

Twenty-five states have awarded Deloitte contracts for eligibility systems totally at least $6 billion, giving the company a stronghold in a lucrative segment of the government benefits business.

Virginia's 'tech tax' ignites debate on business taxes

Many states are extending sales tax to digital services, but the Virginia Senate’s attempt to expand it to cover business-to-business transactions raised eyebrows.

Mobile hunting, fishing licenses streamline conservation management

Minnesota’s new system will replace a paper-based license purchase and harvest registration process, saving staff time and improving customer service.

How the procurement process can help agencies acquire responsible AI

Buying artificial intelligence is not just about setting new policies to manage emerging technology, but applying tried-and-true processes, one expert says.

Whole-of-state procurement gives local agencies better pricing, expert advice

Initially used to extend cybersecurity throughout government, the whole-of-state concept is also being used to push training and software licensing contracts to local agencies.

One state takes on youth mental health by streamlining access to services

For some families, it can take more than a decade to connect children to appropriate mental health resources once they show symptoms. Amid a growing youth mental health crisis, one state is developing an online portal to shave that wait time down.

Friendly competition heats up energy conservation among neighbors

Indiana saw a 30% reduction in residential energy use across four cities after deploying the MySmartE system that incentivizes households to conserve energy.

Cloud a ‘game-changer’ for health insurance marketplace

When California’s health insurance marketplace migrated to the cloud, it cut costs, improved consumer experience and gained the ability to scale to demand.

Addressing the shortage of government accountants: 2 paths to efficiency

COMMENTARY | The dwindling number of qualified, government-savvy accounting professionals makes it imperative municipalities find new efficiencies sooner rather than later.

Cloud adoption essential, but still challenging

Pittsburgh has racked up some early successes with its cloud migration, but a combination of limited finances, technical debt and the need to educate employees slows progress.