Ten Tech Innovations for State Government

One organization needed a better, faster way to process highway occupancy permits. Another deployed a business intelligence (BI) tool to save millions of dollars. A third sought a tech solution to greatly reduce travel costs. What do all three of these efforts have in common? They were all initiated by state governments. They're among the following 10 initiatives that won a "State IT Recognition Award" from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). It's the 24th consecutive year that NASCIO has given out these honors, underscoring the notion that not all leading-edge ideas come from the private sector. (However, the private sector plays a major role in the planning and execution of these projects via contractual relationships with state agencies.) During the awards ceremony in October, Montana CIO Dick Clark received the association's Meritorious Service Award. He was hired in 2005 as the second CIO in the state's history. Here are the other top winners. (Note: Individual states were eligible for more than one award.)