Archived CIO Communications

12/21/06 - The California State Information Security Office's (SISO) new Web site at http://www.infosecurity.ca.gov provides easy access to state information security and privacy policies, guidelines, procedures, tools, and best practices related to incident notification, security and privacy awareness, operational recovery, risk management, and other valuable resources.

12/20/06 - J. Clark Kelso, the State's Chief Information Officer, has been named by Computerworld magazine among the top 100 information technology leaders for 2007. It's the first time a state chief information officer has been so honored. Computerworld's list honors IT executives who have led their organizations by mentoring and motivating employees, envisioning innovative solutions to business challenges and effectively managing and executing IT strategies.

12/05/06 - At the request of the State CIO (PDF, 232 KB), the California Research Bureau publishes a significant report on California civil service Information Technology Human Resources issues: The State's Information Technology Hiring Process: Suggested Reforms (PDF, 705 KB).

10/27/06 - The IT Council (ITC) adopts the 2006 California IT Strategic Plan (PDF, 266 KB) as presented by the ITC Strategic Plan Committee at the ITC quarterly meeting. Public input to the Plan may be sent to askcio(at)cio.ca.gov until November 6 when the Plan will go to publication.

10/19/06 - The Prenatal and Newborn Screening Information System developed by the California Department of Health Services is recognized by NASCIO as one of only 12 recipients of its annual Recognition Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology in State Government. A special thank you to all who contributed to this success!

10/11/06 - The State CIO leads the local State of the State of IT in California event (PDF, 13 KB). Visit 2006 State of IT in California for his keynote (PDF, 40 KB).

09/29/06 - Visit Web Accessibility Training at http://www.dor.ca.gov/webaccessibility/. This site provides California web developers with online resources for increasing knowledge of web accessibility issues and the specific requirements of Section 508 part 1194.22.

08/25/06 - The State CIO, the Undersecretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency, and the Director of the Department of Personnel Administration welcomes (PDF, 109 KB) state executives to participate in the new "Leadership for the Government Executive (PDF, 2.1 MB)" Certificate Program offered through Sacramento State University. Nomination (PDF, 78 KB) and registration (PDF, 197 KB) forms are due February 28, 2007 for the second session that begins March 23, 2007.

08/11/06 - The State CIO, the State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary and the Director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services host a special event (PDF, 207 KB) on August 31st in Sacramento to provide a forum (PDF, 17 KB) for discussing the realities that organizations face when disaster strikes.

07/28/06 - The State CIO holds the quarterly Information Day at the Cal EPA facility in Sacramento. Visit http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast for the available web cast of the IT Council meeting and the Webmasters and Content Managers meeting (PDF, 26 KB).

07/25/2006 - Governor Schwarzenegger announced a health information technology initiative to be led by the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Business, Transportation and Housing, the Director of the Department of Managed Health Care, and the State CIO (Executive Order S-12-06). California has established a goal to achieve, within the next decade, full data information exchange between consumers, insurers, health care providers, researchers and government agencies.

07/14/06 - At the request of the State CIO, the Information Organization, Usability, Content Currency, and Accessibility (IOUCA)Working Group (PDF, 39 KB) has developed recommendations for the State's approach to website accessibility (PDF, 237 KB), website usability (PDF, 172 KB), and separating content from presentation (PDF, 162 KB). These recommendations adopted by the Portal Review Board on June 16 and the Portal Steering Committee on July 14 will be used for planning new and redesigned state websites. A meeting to discuss the recommendations is scheduled on July 28, 2006, at 2:30 at the Byron Sher Auditorium of the CAL EPA Building, at 1001 I Street.

07/14/06 - The California Department of Rehabilitation schedules free Web Accessibility Training (PDF, 29 KB) during August and September.

07/11/06 - At the STATE PERSONNEL BOARD meeting today, under Agenda Item 14, a STATE PERSONNEL BOARD HEROES Presentation (PDF, 16 KB) was made to a group of individuals who partnered with SPB the past year to help California move forward with critical civil service reform efforts. See Board meeting photo.

06/14/06 - The State CIO and the ITC Awards Committee nominate six projects for the NASCIO Recognition Awards highlighting State Government Achievements in the Field of Information Technology.

06/01/06 - The quarterly meetings of the Information Technology Council and the IT Leaders have been combined into the IT governance meeting (PDF, 25 KB).

05/11/06 - Gregory G. Curtin (PDF, 50 KB), PhD, JD, of the USC E-Governance Lab, Paul W. Taylor, PhD, of the Center for Digital Government, and J. Clark Kelso discuss "eGovernment Solutions Californians Deserve and Expect: Policy Challenges (PDF, 421 KB)" and Government Services on the Web: "California In-Touch" (PDF, 45 KB) at California State Library.

05/05/06 - At the request of the State CIO (PDF, 77 KB), the California Research Bureau publishes a study of the policies and issues that may impact making government services more accessible to citizens and State clients: Policy and Management Issues Framework: Statewide Portal Project (PDF, 908 KB).

04/21/06 - The IT Council (ITC) adopts the conceptual Service Oriented Architecture dated April 21, 2006 pursuant to the ITC Enterprise Architecture Committee Chair's memo (PDF, 15 KB).

04/21/06 - The IT Council and the Portal Steering Committee adopt the State CIO's draft Government Services on the WEB: California In-Touch (PDF, 45 KB).

04/04/06 - California Climate Change Portal. Sponsored by the California Climate Change Center to combine information on the impacts of climate change on California and the state's policies relating to global warming.

03/29/06 - Encryption software is now available under the State's Software Licensing Program (PDF, 14 KB). For contract information, user instructions, price schedules and other pertinent information, refer to each reseller's SLP contract at www.pd.dgs.ca.gov/masters/slp.

03/29/06 - Visit the redesigned CA Tax Service Center at www.taxes.ca.gov.

03/28/06 - Sponsored by the California Economic Development Partnership, the new Business Service Center provides a portal to a number of resources for starting, growing, financing, expanding or relocating a business in California.

3/20/06 - The State Personnel Board is offering an OPEN Staff and Senior Information Systems Analyst (Specialist) exam for Sacramento only. To apply, you must complete an on-line application on the SPB website. Final File Date: April 4, 2006 at Midnight P.S.T.

03/16/06 - The State CIO requests (PDF, 211 KB) departments to nominate case studies and models (PDF, 24 KB) of investment in e-Services applications in support of the Goal 1, Objective 1, Action 2 of the 2005 Strategic Plan. Visit FAQs (PDF, 70 KB) for questions you may have.

03/10/06 - The State CIO promotes referencing the online version of the IT Management Academy XII (ITMA) IT Personnel Professional Development Manual (PDF, 1.3 MB).

02/28/06 - In support of IT Succession Planning, the State CIO recommends visiting the DPA California State Government Worforce Planning Model and the EDD IT Succession Plan (PDF, 929 KB).

12/22/05 - The State CIO convened the IT HR Steering Committee (PDF, 30 KB) to direct the California IT Human Resources Classification and Selection Project (PDF, 31 KB). Visit FAQs (PDF, 41 KB) for questions you may have.

12/08/05 - The State establishes new Software Cooperative Agreements (PDF, 18 KB) (SCA) with certain authorized resellers that primarily feature Microsoft software enterprise licensing and maintenance (upgrades). The SCAs are not mandatory and are only available for State department's use. For more information visit www.pd.dgs.ca.gov/masters/slp.

12/01/05 - The State CIO delivers keynote (PDF, 39 KB) at the RFID & Privacy in the Information Age Conference. View the Vendor RFID Summary Presentation (PDF, 1 MB).

11/18/05 - IT Strategic Plan News
The published 2005 California IT Strategic Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB), adopted by the IT Council on October 21, 2005, will guide the acquisition, management and use of technology within the Executive Branch of State government for the next four years (2006-2009).

10/31/05 - The State CIO has kicked off Enterprise Architecture (EA) in the state of California with the formation of the California Enterprise Architecture Program (CEAP).

10/27/05 - The State Personnel Board is offering a Statewide OPEN Associate Programmer Analyst Exam. To schedule a test date/time, please go to http://www.spb.ca.gov/employment/ITHotJobs.htm. For additional information on Information Technology (IT) career opportunities, please go to http://www.spb.ca.gov/jobs/special/IT_careers.htm.
IMPORTANT: To schedule an exam time, you must have a 'UserID' and 'Password'. If you do not have one already, visit the State Personnel Board website at https://forms.spb.ca.gov/employment/index.cfm.

10/14/05 - The State CIO and the IT Council Strategic Plan Committee have developed a draft update for the California 2005 IT Strategic Plan (PDF, 209 KB). Input to this draft plan may be sent to askcio(at)cio.ca.gov.

08/18/05 - State publishes Addendum 12 to the CALNET II RFP with significant revisions. See scheduled customer forum information:
CALNET II RFP - Release of Addendum #12 and Customer Forums Information (PDF, 15 KB)
Special ATR Bulletin 2005-08 (PDF, 17 KB)

08/18/05 - The State CIO reconvenes the IT Council Strategic Plan Committee to direct the California 2005 IT Strategic Plan Update. Input to the Strategic Plan Update can be sent to askcio(at)cio.ca.gov thru September 23, 2005.

08/17/05 - Visit the State Information Technology Security Program to review IT security tips for Wireless Safeguards and Protecting Laptops and Portable Devices.

07/12/05 - The California IT Strategic Plan has been widely distributed to public policy-makers and agencies along with a letter from the State CIO highlighting several mid-year accomplishments. See CIO memo (PDF, 123 KB).

07/11/05 - The State CIO describes transition (PDF, 16 KB) to the Department of Technology Services (DTS), its role as the Data Center and IT service provider for the California Executive Branch. DTS consolidates the Stephen P. Teale Data Center (Teale), the Health and Human Services Agency Data Center (HHSDC) and the DGS Office of Network Services.

07/01/05 - The State awards seven statewide strategic sourcing contracts for computer hardware worth a projected $116 million to HP, IBM, Gateway and others. See CIO memo (PDF, 75 KB). For more information visit http://www.dgs.ca.gov/Press/04-05/050701.htm.

07/01/05 - Due to the number of requests received for enrollment in the EAW training, DOF has scheduled additional training sessions now open for online registration at http://www.dof.ca.gov/otros/training/eawtraining.asp.

06/21/05 - The State CIO renames the IT Council Data Center Operations Committee the Technology Services Committee. Committee will hold meetings open to the public. Visit techServices.html for committee meeting information.

06/20/05 - The Department of Finance will offer Economic Analysis Worksheet (EAW) training for state agencies during this July and August. This training for state employees only is not mandatory but is recommended for those developing FSRs. The training course and registration information is available at www.dof.ca.gov or http://www.dof.ca.gov/otros/training/eawtraining.asp.

06/17/05 - IT leadership opportunities in state government.

04/21/05 - Visit the new collection of geospatial information available on the California Geospatial Information website.

04/06/05 - The State CIO, the ITC Human Resources Committee and the ITM Academy XII request your participation in the IT Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities (KSA) Validation Survey below:
CIO Request Memo (PDF, 106 KB)

3/31/05 - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today submitted a reorganization plan to the Little Hoover Commission designed to establish the Department of Technology Services.
Governor's Reorganization Plan
Department of Technology Services

3/22/05 - The California CIO asks departments for project information needed to support California IT Strategic Plan Actions
Memo sent to CIOs
Project form to be completed by departments

3/8/05 - The California CIO is one of Seven State CIOs and NASCIO Members Honored as Government Technology "Doers, Dreamers and Drivers"!
Full story available at http://www.govtech.net/magazine/story.php?id=93222.

2/16/05 - State CIO Statement Regarding CPR Recommendation SO10 (Explore Open Source Alternatives) (PDF, 77 KB)
Clark Kelso issued this statement today to clarify existing state practice and policy on the subject of Open Source.

1/10/05 - Report on Establishing the Department of Technology Services (PDF, 114 KB)

12/20/04 - IT Strategic Plan News
The California IT Strategic Plan (PDF, 3.1 MB) is now final. The plan was approved by the IT Council on October 31, 2004, and only minor editing changes were made after that approval. The plan will guide the acquisition, management and use of technology within the Executive Branch of State government for the next five years (2005-2009).

09/10/04 - New IT Council Member, ITC Executive Committee (PDF, 75 KB)

08/27/04 - The Stephen P. Teale and Health and Human Services Data Centers will consolidate their operations and activities (PDF, 76 KB). Executive Order.

07/03/04 - California Performance Review (CPR) Report is now available. Check out the CPR report at http://cpr.ca.gov/report/.

05/10/04 - Responsibility for Messaging Systems and California Email Solutions (PDF, 37 KB)

04/30/04 - Responsibility for Messaging Systems (PDF, 84 KB)

04/26/04 - IT Council (PDF, 77 KB)

03/16/04 - IT Council
To improve the State IT Goverance I have established the California IT Council with comprehensive leadership participation from all State IT communities. I invite you to find out more about the Council and its initiatives.

03/05/04 - California IT Council (PDF, 73 KB)

02/19/04 - Appointment to IT Council (PDF, 73 KB)

California Information Technology Online Forum
Check out the latest spot for discussing state IT issues and helping each other solve common problems - The California Information Technology Online Forum.