Category Archives: Government

Notes: Technology Advisory Council (TAC) Full Council Meeting (July 10) MN DCYF

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Today I attended the online-based Technology Advisory Council (TAC) Full Council Meeting. The TAC is a permanent body to advise Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) and executive branch agencies on strategic information technology initiatives and service delivery. Meetings are open to the public. I have taken notes on the presentation only.

They heard from DCYF Integration Layer – Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). They are working on modernizing technology with a goal to adapt a whole family approach. They want to give staff more time to spend with the families.

Notes/Video/Slides from Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)

Technology Advisory Council – Full Council Meeting:

  • Date: Friday, August 14, 2026
  • Time: 8:30 – 11 a.m. CDT
  • Location: Virtual Meeting – email tac.mnit@state.mn.us for information on how to join the meeting.

From the chat:

  • Here’s a link to the Chapter Law for the Human Services Modernization Fund, Council, and Commission: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/Session+Law/Chapter/120/
  • Here’s a link to the Chapter Law for the Human Services Modernization Fund, Council, and Commission: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/Session+Law/Chapter/120/
  • Technology should be leveraged to allow enrollees to report changes electronically with a no wrong door approach. Clients are expected to know all their different workers/teams and call on the phone, often with long hold times, to report changes. Audits have shown clients do try to report changes, but often the changes only get entered into one system/program.
    Answer: yes
  • To me, it seems that the “Policy Engine” would be the hardest thing to design. But the use case is so common that surely tons of work has been done on this topic across the country.
    Answer: We have learned from legacy system and what has happened in other states. We look at state and federal parameters. Policy support is key.
  • Is this pilot connected to the SNAP benefits project?
    Answer: They will
  • Any specific way to volunteer/register for some of these different projects?
    Answer: not an immediate opportunity but good idea
  • Is there an advisory committee that could be used to provide input/volunteer?  Mtgs to attend
    Answer: not yet
  • Not just keyboard only. Workers must memorize thousands of secret codes. Update the STAT MEMI
    But in the defense of green screen, it does work well for quick keyboard entry instead of a mouse….
    https://cms1files.revize.com/assocofminnesotacos/publications/MnCountiesMagazineWINTER2025.pdf?t=202601221049170&t=202601221049170
  • A challenge will be getting good data
  • How is the search from the Chief Data Officer?
    We are creating a new position. Usually comes through the Governor’s Budget, which isn’t helpful this year. The legislature provided MNIT with some one-time funding.
  • Do you need new legislation to get the position?
    We need a budget order and one-time funding will likely not work.
  • Home site for accessing previous Technology Advisory Council (TAC)/Blue Ribbon Council on IT (BRC-IT) reports, along with other information about the council including upcoming meetings, current appointed membership, etc. https://mn.gov/mnit/about-mnit/committees/tac.jsp

Notes: Technology Advisory Council (TAC) Full Council Meeting (June 12)

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Today I attended the online-based Technology Advisory Council (TAC) Full Council Meeting. The TAC is a permanent body to advise Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) and executive branch agencies on strategic information technology initiatives and service delivery. Meetings are open to the public. I took pretty loose notes but I feel like I soaked up a lot of information that would be valuable for policymakers and policy-followers. I suspect it would be handy if you had a business in any of the areas discussed too. Attendees are the folks on the frontlines and a lot of practical tips flow freely on how to plan and deploy enterprise technology projects.

Updates from MNIT

Updates on 2026 Legislature

Ten Lessons about Service Delivery (by looking at process of paid leave)

Final Draft Work Plan

OPPORTUNITY: USDA Accepts Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Applications open to improve access to remote education and health care in rural communities

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USDA Rural Development announces...

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development invites grant applications to improve access to remote education and health care in rural communities.
USDA is making approximately $27 million in funding available under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program.
This program funds distance learning and telemedicine equipment, including audio and video equipment, to
improve access to educational and health care opportunities in rural communities. These funds will help
digitally connect people to education, training and healthcare resources that are otherwise unavailable or limited in remote parts of the country.
For example, DLT funding expands opportunities for:
• Students to participate in classes that may be in locations too far to access in person;
• Teachers to provide their expertise, trainings and educational services to students across the country; and
• Patients to seek specialized care and treatment from medical professionals without needing to leave their
homes or communities.
Eligible applicants include state and local governmental entities, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits and for
profit businesses.
Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov no later than June 30, 2026. Additional program information is available on the DLT Program website. Interested applicants are encourage to contact their Telecom Program General Field Representative (GFR) and may submit questions using the Contact Us Form.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, sign up at the GovDelivery subscriber page.

New MN Bill: Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized HF3295

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The new bill will be discussed today (May 7) at 1pm on HTV1…

HF3295 (Gordon) Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized.

 

New MN Bill: to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT HF4675

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Last week, the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, heard about HF4675 to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT systems and the development of new ones…

Counties have long lamented outdated “Oregon Trail”-era IT systems used to enroll Minnesotans in Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Women Infants and Children, and other public assistance programs. Soon, President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will introduce increased complexity to these systems and legislators have said the status quo can’t accommodate that.

In addition to remedies proposed by Gov. Tim Walz and other legislators throughout the session, Rep. Danny Nadeau (R-Rogers) has a proposal to kickstart upgrades and modernizations.

He sponsors HF4675 to establish a steering committee that would provide recommendations on current human services IT systems and the development of new ones. The bill would also appropriate an undetermined amount of money in Fiscal Year 2027 to update county IT systems.

The committee laid the bill over.

Counties currently use two systems to process claims: MAXIS, launched in 1989, and METS, established in 2014.

Testifiers said both systems have issues.

The history of 911 in Minnesota from a 911 telecommunicator

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The Department of Public Safety reports on changes to 911 over the years. I just thought it was an interesting look at how 911 has changed over the years, especially for folks who have ubiquitous and reliable cell coverage…

For Mark Lallak, the evolution of 911 is personal. He watched it happen in real time from behind the dispatch console.

When Lallak was working as a 911 telecommunicator in the ’90s, most calls came from landlines. Because the phone numbers were associated with fixed locations, dispatchers had a name and address associated with each phone number. If someone called in, first responders almost always knew where they needed to go.

Then as cell phones emerged, everything changed.

The update happened quickly…

Today, wireless calls are the new norm. In 2025, about 87 percent of 911 calls in Minnesota came from cell phones. People call from cars, boats, trails and countless other places where emergencies happen. It’s much easier to call 911 today than ever before — and that flexibility is a good thing. But it also created new challenges for dispatchers and first responders.

In the early days of cell phone calls to 911, dispatch centers often had to rely on cell tower triangulation to estimate a caller’s location. Dispatchers can’t identify someone based on a cell phone number like they could with landlines. If a caller could not speak, hung up or lost connection, responders might have to search a broad area, often as big as a square mile or more.  …

“Nowadays, when a caller dials 911, the latitude and longitude coordinates from their cell phone are usually shared with the system,” Carlson said. “That information can help responders get to the right place faster.”

While this process works better today than before, there is room for improvement. In some parts of greater Minnesota, calls may still be routed based on cell tower triangulation instead of a caller’s GPS coordinates. That can lead to delays or extra transfers, especially near county borders.

ECN is working to improve the 911 system through Next Generation 911, or NG911. The current network in Minnesota has been in place since 1982 and relies on outdated copper telecommunication lines. In partnership with telecom service providers across the state, ECN is upgrading the network to fiber optic cable. The upgraded system will allow callers to text photos and videos and even share data from unexpected sources like smartwatches and vehicles.

New MN Bill: establishing an information technology modernization account HF4808

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The MN House reports on a legislation that would allow for surplus funds to be spent on upgrading government IT…

Torkelson introduced:

HF. 4808,A bill for an act relating to state government; establishing an information technology modernization account; allocating general fund surplus dollars to the account; requiring a report; transferring money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16A.152, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 16A.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

You can access the full bill – but here’s a key paragraph…

new text begin[16A.627] TECHNOLOGY OBSOLESCENCE REDUCTION KEYSTONE
ACCOUNT.
new text end

new text beginThe technology obsolescence reduction keystone account is established in the special revenue fund. Money in the account is available for appropriation by the legislature to fund the modernization or replacement of outdated or inadequate information technology infrastructure and systems used by the state or local units of government to administer state
programs.

How is social media use linked to views of democracy?

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A recent Gallup report looks at the connection between social media and views of democracy…

Heavy users of social media are more likely than others to believe that leaders are listening to them and to view democratic participation as effective, according to a study conducted by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup. However, they are also less likely to think democracy is the best form of government and more likely to express views that depart from widely held democratic norms about violence and political compromise.

These results are from a nationally representative study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults, conducted July 7-Aug. 25, 2025, that finds complex relationships between social media usage and views of U.S. democracy, even when controlling for age, income and other factors related to social media use.

They made a few observations:

  • Heavy Social Media Users More Likely to Feel Valued and Represented
  • Social Media Use Tied to Belief in Effectiveness of Participation
  • Social Media Users More Critical of Democracy as a Form of Government
  • Heavy Social Media Users Stray From Democratic Norms

They conclude…

These results suggest that social media may reinforce public beliefs that citizens’ voices matter and their actions can shape the nation’s direction. Heavier users, in particular, express stronger feelings of being represented in government decision-making and more confidence in the effectiveness of core civic actions, from peaceful protests to political campaigning.

Yet this greater sense of empowerment exists alongside signs that heavy social media use is associated with lessened support for foundational democratic principles and even the belief that democracy is the best form of government. Taken together, these findings suggest that social media use may play an increasingly complex role in the health of U.S. democracy.

New MN Bill: Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized HF3295

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Bill to be discussed today (March 23) in the House Elections Finance and Government Operations…

HF3295 (Gordon) – Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized.

Press Conference: MN Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Regulate Artificial Intelligence

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Earlier today, Senator Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, legislators, and supporters held a press conference to introduce bills intended to regulate artificial intelligence for consumer protection and public safety. It’s a great peek at what might be happening later today and for the rest of the session. Reporters asked questions that many of us might ask – such as what does that mean in the real world.

Here are some of the sessions that will be happening today. You can watch in real time or view the archive later:

S.F. 1120 Maye QuadeGovernment entities prohibition from requesting or obtaining reverse-location information

scs1120a-1.pdf

ACLU-MN-Letter-of-Support-Reverse-Warrants-SF-1120.pdf

BCA-Opposition-to-SF1120-3-5-26-Signed-3-5-26.pdf

ILCM-SF1120-Pro.pdf

MCPA-_SF1120_Letter-of-Opposition.pdf

Reverse-Warrant-Flyer-SF-1120.pdf

20260302134430681_25-112-Google-Chatrie-Amicusfinal.pdf

S.F. 1856 Maye QuadeUsage of artificial intelligence in the utilization review process prohibition provision

scs1856a-1.pdf

S.F. 1857 Maye QuadeMinor access to chatbots for recreational purposes by persons prohibition provision

scs1857a-2.pdf

MFC-SF1857-Pro-Senate-Judiciary-and-Public-Safety-Committee-03092026.pdf

S.F. 1886 Maye QuadeIndividual communication with artificial intelligence disclosure requirement provision

RMAI-Memorandum-in-Opposition-to-SF1886-03-09-2026.pdf

S.F. 3098 Maye QuadeProhibition from using artificial intelligence to dynamically set product prices

scs3098a-1.pdf

MN for Open Government AI Regulation Presentation

MN_for_Open_Government_AI_regulation_presentation.pdf

Worth sharing: That text or email about your “tax refund” is a scam

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I suspect that most readers are savvy about how technology can be used to scam folks, but a reminder never hurt and we all might know someone who could also use a reminder – or lesson. Here’s help from the FTC…

Tax season is approaching, and if you’re getting a refund, scammers are looking to steal it before you’ve had a chance to claim it. So, before you respond to a text or email about a “tax refund” — especially one that asks you to click a link — know that this could be a scam designed to get your personal information and steal your tax refund.

These scams often start with a text or email that looks like it’s from the IRS or a state tax office saying they’ve “processed” or “approved” your tax refund claim. (Note: that’s not how you find out about a real tax refund.) To “verify your identity” and “send you money,” they ask you to click a link to enter details like your Social Security and bank account numbers — but it’s a phishing scam. If you click and share your info, the scammer might steal your personal information to get your tax refund or even steal your identity to open other accounts.

If you get a message like this:

  • Know that the real IRS and state tax offices won’t reach out by text, email, or on social media to get your information. Only scammers will.
  • Don’t respond or click any links. To check the status of a pending tax refund, never use the link from the message. Instead, visit USA.gov to learn how to find out if you’re really getting a federal or state tax refund.
  • Report and delete the message. Use your phone’s “report junk” option or forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) and mark unwanted emails as spam or junk. Once you’ve checked it out and reported it, delete the message.

Visit IdentityTheft.gov/steps to learn how to protect yourself before identity theft happens. And if you spot a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

MN Broadband Task Force meeting Feb 2026: Rural Health Research and Technologist Computers

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The Broadband Task Force met today. Their stated goal is to focus on education in the first few months of the year. Today they heard from folks at the Mayo on rural health research and from a Task Force member Ini Augustine who does digital equity work in Hennepin County through Technologist Computers. They also got an update from the Office of Broadband Development.

Meeting Agenda Continue reading →

Gov. Tim Walz has authorized $1.2 million to Aid St. Paul Cyber Attack Recovery

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Gov Tech reports...

Gov. Tim Walz has authorized $1.2 million in state emergency disaster assistance to address a cybersecurity incident that disrupted digital services in St. Paul for several weeks this summer. While most public-facing, Internet-based services were back online within a month, some behind-the-scenes work to shift, recreate or safeguard digital services remains ongoing.

Details on the event…

On July 29, a cyber attack forced the city of St. Paul to shutter most Internet-based services, from public computer terminals at libraries to bill payment services and phone communications. In response, Walz issued an executive order activating cyber-security specialists from the Minnesota National Guard, and the FBI and private consultants quickly became involved.

With a demanded ransom unpaid, cyber-attackers eventually released data from personal files held by St. Paul Parks and Recreation workers onto the Internet, but the files did not involve information from core systems like payroll or licensing, according to the mayor’s office at the time.
A tally of actual costs related to the cyber attack was not immediately available on Wednesday evening, but the 2026 city budget includes more than $1 million in added cybersecurity funding to restore systems and further safeguard digital services.

AI Governance Checklist for Elected Officials from The Center for Democracy and Technology

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I love a good checklist. Even if you may never need the checklist, I think looking over it gives you a good idea of how something works and what’s involved. The Center for Democracy and Technology has created a check list for AI use in government…

This brief provides elected officials and senior leaders working in state and local government with a checklist of core recommendations specifically aimed at building government-wide structures, strategies, and processes to advance trustworthy and responsible use of AI in public benefits and services across five core areas:

  • Public Transparency and Stakeholder Engagement: Improve public awareness and understanding of AI by establishing public AI inventories, prioritizing public education about government use of AI, creating advisory councils with members of the public to inform agency AI decision-making, implementing mechanisms for meaningful feedback from the public, and instituting plain-language notices and explanations for affected individuals.
  • Accuracy and Reliability: Ensure that AI projects advance agency goals and combat AI-driven challenges by adopting acceptable AI use policies or guidelines, grounding the acquisition and use of AI tools in evidence-based decision-making, establishing minimum government-wide AI performance and testing standards and procurement criteria, implementing regular independent audits of AI tools (including post-deployment), building in requirements for human oversight and training, and prioritizing investment in AI talent.
  • Governance and Coordination: Promote cross-agency governance practices by adopting a government-wide AI plan and governance strategy, appointing a chief AI officer or equivalent senior leader, creating AI governance boards, establishing centralized emergency response protocols and AI incident reporting, engaging cross-functional staff in AI decision-making, establishing forums for government employees to provide input on AI projects, and incorporating responsible AI guidance into existing employee training and onboarding materials.
  • Privacy and Security: Identify and mitigate AI-related privacy and security harms by updating cybersecurity and data policies; establishing privacy and security protections in AI procurement; integrating chief privacy, information security, and data officers throughout AI decision-making; and prioritizing privacy and cybersecurity in employee AI training.
  • Safety, Rights, and Legal Compliance: Address the risks that AI systems may pose to the public’s safety and rights by integrating civil rights, risk, and legal officers throughout AI decision-making; establishing heightened risk management requirements for high-impact uses; and prioritizing legal compliance and identification and mitigation of AI harms in employee AI training.

Take time for an important story: When big cyberattacks hit small towns

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Big thanks to Ben Winchester for the heads up on this one. Click Here is a podcast that “tells stories about the people making and breaking our digital world.” Last week, they focused on When big cyberattacks hit small towns. It’s a quick 30-minute broadcast. It tells a sobering story of cyber security challenges in rural areas. I won’t retell the story, but I will share the messages that resonated with me:

  • While big cities often have cyber security teams or people or at least an IT department, smaller cities, towns and counties don’t. That means that cyber security in smaller governments is left to no one or everyone, the results can be the same.
  • Back in the day, everyone had a different security solution. It’s more homogenous now; even between small and large local governments. So, a cyber criminal can learn a lot about “how things are done” even in hacking a small town.
  • Unlike having your car or wallet stolen, a cyber crime is hard to recognize. You don’t always know what a thief got, how they got in or if they have been locked out. You don’t always know who did it or why.