When it comes to technology in the state, CIO Timothy Galluzi’s approach since his 2022 appointment has involved recognizing the value of the people doing the work. The state’s move to bring IT into the governor’s office supports this decision.
Government Technology/David Kidd
On Jan. 30, Nevada announced it had completed Phase 1A of the CORE.NV project, which produced the minimum viable product. Galluzi credited the team and executive leadership for the achievement of modernizing the state’s decades-old financial infrastructure and delivering a fully operational system in only 15 months. The vendor for the CORE.NV project is CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc.
“Fifteen months is absolutely extraordinary for any large ERP implementation, especially when we’re talking state governments and the fiscal module,” he said, underlining that it was not just a technology platform installation, but a business transformation that involved interagency collaboration.
The next step is Phase 1B, which entails the state’s human resources module; Galluzi said he expects to see it completed by late spring or early summer. An ERP system, the CIO explained, generally acts as the foundation for other tech stacks to build on. In this case, it will also allow the state to leverage increased reporting capabilities that will support improvements to digital government through data-informed decision-making.
For such a complex project, change management entails a multifaceted approach, both building excitement among staff about the reduction of monotonous tasks and keeping those that will be impacted informed throughout the process. But the key, Galluzi said, is simple: “It begins and ends with leadership.”
While the ERP system will impact many processes and agencies, it is not the only modernization effort underway in the state.
The Department of Health and Human Services is concluding its NVKIDS project, which modernizes child support services. The department also recently launched its No Wrong Door project, which will save time for people applying for human services by unifying them under one portal with one login. The goal is that those who qualify for one benefit will proactively get information about other benefits for which they may be eligible.
Galluzi’s team in the Office of the CIO (OCIO) is supporting this effort, and specifically the identity component, with the launch of Microsoft’s B2C solution. His eventual goal is to have a statewide portal with one Nevada identity for constituents to more easily access services across the state, the CIO said — aligning with state leadership’s vision of One Nevada. OCIO recently started working to replace the state’s content management platform, which he said is one of the early steps on the way to a constituent portal.
Other modernization efforts in the state include the Department of Motor Vehicles, which recently moved more services online as part of its digital transformation, and the Department of Taxation, which has reached milestones in its tax system updates.
In some ways, the ERP modernization project complements other technology overhauls and modernization initiatives, Galluzi said: “I think it shows employees and stakeholders what is possible with technology.”
Nevada is also advancing responsible artificial intelligence governance. Under the State Technology Governance Committee, the AI and Emerging Technology Working Group has engaged with stakeholders and community members to create AI policy. In November, the state launched its AI policy, building on prior AI guidance. And the state is at the beginning of its legislative session, during which numerous pieces of AI-related legislation are being considered.
When it comes to AI, Galluzi said he is a “cautious optimist,” ensuring the proper guardrails are in place before pushing forward. For Nevada, AI policy tenets include keeping a human in the loop, ethical considerations, transparency and traceability, and security and data implications.
Shifting the OCIO into the governor’s office has made technology work more collaborative, Galluzi said: “We have gone from having technical and tactical conversations to strategic conversations with agency heads, with directors, with Cabinet members … we’re really breaking down silos.”
This improved collaboration across the executive branch has also helped the state in its approach to cybersecurity; this requires a unified effort because a threat against one agency or municipality can move laterally and impact others.
This year, the state is planning to increase its work with municipal governments, sharing intel and tools.
“It’s important that we all work together and embrace this One Nevada concept,” Galluzi said.
