Though fiscal conditions in many states are weak, governors are no less ambitious. The use of technology to increase government efficiency and transparency, communicate with citizens, improve first responder communications and improve health care quality while containing cost are the "hot spots."

This year 43 governors gave state of the state or similar speeches outlining their priorities for 2008. Forty-two governors* proposed 1,045 new policy initiatives, or about 25 per governor. Like last year about 5% of these initiatives were technology related. INPUT's recently released Industry Insights report, State of the States 2008: Technology Initiatives and Implications, details these initiatives by vertical:

• General Government -- In 2008 69% of governors proposed general government service initiatives. The big trends were increased accountability, efficiency, consolidation, and Green IT.
  
  
• Health Care -- This year 88% of governors proposed health care initiatives. With the cost of Medicaid consuming almost 22% of states' total spending, it's no wonder governors have been focused on ways to reduce cost. Along with the federal government, states are also attempting to transform the health care industry to one based on quality instead of transactions. Health IT continues to be of great interest and INPUT believes several states have forged ahead of the federal government in this area. A new trend in health IT is transparency web sites, which allow consumers to comparison shop and make better, more informed decisions about their health care. Sara Palin of Alaska and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin both proposed new transparency projects in their state of the state speeches.
  
  
• Homeland Security -- In 2008 18% of governors proposed homeland security initiatives. Providing funding for public safety interoperable communications continues to be the most important technology priority.
  
  
• Justice and Public Safety -- 67% of governors proposed justice and public safety initiatives. Many governors are looking to alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders in order to reduce the cost of corrections, which is the second fastest growing component of state budgets. They are looking at GPS tracking and monitoring technologies and better case management tools for probation and parole officers. Vendors should also expect states and localities to become interested in reducing the cost of inmate health care by employing health IT.
  
  
• Social Services -- This year 55% of governors proposed initiatives in this vertical, up from 47% last year. Veterans and military service personnel returning from Iraq or Afghanistan are at the top of the agenda. However, there is continued interest in making programs such as Food Stamps, Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), child welfare, child care, and child support enforcement more efficient. This includes mobility devices for social workers so they can spend more time in the field as well as enhancing and modernizing existing systems.

For more information on the verticals discussed above as well as Community Development, Economic Development and Regulation, Education, Natural Resources and the Environment, Public Finance or Transportation, download a copy of the executive summary or purchase the full report.

*Governor Ted Kulongoski of Oregon gave his speech to late to be included in INPUT's report.

More information about transparency websites and legislation nationwide can be found in INPUT's latest Industry Insight report "State 'Transparency' Websites Provide Immediate Insights and Long-Term Opportunities for Vendors" (July 2008).