New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a comprehensive technology initiative that includes the establishment of a new Office of Innovation and Efficiency and mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting requirements for local governments. The plans were unveiled alongside her State of the State address on January 15, 2025, building upon the state’s existing digital transformation efforts, which include the successful New York Mobile ID program that has attracted over 100,000 users.
“Agencies often struggle to redesign operations and implement improvements due to limited in-house expertise,” said Governor Hochul. The Office of Innovation and Efficiency will serve as an internal consulting resource for state agencies, providing centralized project support and performance tracking capabilities. The office will be required to issue annual progress reports to maintain transparency and accountability.
Under the cybersecurity incident reporting mandate, local governments must report cybersecurity incidents and ransom payments through a centralized system. The measure follows recent guidance from federal cybersecurity authorities and aims to strengthen state network security through the deployment of specialized cyber tools and enhanced cybersecurity awareness. The reporting system will help track and respond to threats that have increasingly targeted government institutions.
The initiative also includes new legislation requiring cybersecurity awareness training for government employees across New York state. The training program, to be administered by the Office of Information Technology Services, will specifically address the safe implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in government operations. The requirement comes as research indicates that IT departments are increasingly falling victim to sophisticated cyber attacks.
Additional components of the technology proposal include expanding the state’s broadband and cellular network infrastructure, digitizing work authorization verification processes for minors, and implementing a new database and dashboard for tracking capital projects. The digital transformation efforts support New York’s broader initiatives in mobile identity and digital services, including the state’s recent launch of digital driver’s licenses. The governor’s plan also extends the state’s preauthorized vendor list access beyond municipal governments to include state agencies.
Sources: StateScoop, Cybersecurity Law Report
Follow Us