State CIOs and technology leaders face mounting pressure to modernize and streamline their technology systems. Explore five key strategies for future-proofing state technology systems amid challenges, like aging systems and security threats. Ryan Pedersen, Chief Technology Officer for GL Solutions, shares the moves that CIOs must make to help states stay ahead of evolving demands—and cybersecurity threats.
“State government agencies are under a lot of pressure like never before,” explains Pedersen about state IT modernization. “They have aging systems, rising citizen expectations and tight budgets. So, this isn’t really a luxury anymore—it’s a necessity.”
Listen to our full interview with Ryan Pedersen on our Talkin’ SaaS podcast.
Cloud-based regulatory agency platforms offer uptime, and disaster recovery that on-premises solutions fail to match. Agencies that move to the cloud benefit from real-time data access, seamless updates, and automatic backups, all within a compliant framework. GovRamp-ready platforms ensure compliance with the strictest security standards, giving states confidence in vendor solutions. Benefits of GovRAMP-certified environments include security and scalability, along with compliance. GovRAMP requires a rigorous certification process—covering everything from server access to operational protocols.
“Cloud adoption is not really a question of if anymore,” explains Pedersen. “Regulatory agencies need elasticity. They need uptime—things that on prem just can’t match.”
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GovRAMP Bridges the Cybersecurity Gap for State and Local Governments
Low-code and no-code regulatory software solutions empower agencies to make rapid changes without waiting for developers. The agility supports regulatory agencies in responding nimbly to legislative changes or emergencies—sometimes rolling out new workflows in days, not months. In addition, configurable platforms reduce vendor lock-in and help new staff to pick up and adapt systems. State agencies train their teams to support and implement changes, helping them quickly turn around needed changes.
Pedersen explains how low code solutions help support new employees, with the ease of use. “It is definitely much easier for someone else to come in, pick up and carry the torch forward. And you have a lot more adaptability and flexibility. You can roll things out quicker.”
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Breaking down silos across state licensing agency departments and systems enables holistic service delivery and collaboration. And data interoperability—such as sharing background check information across agencies—helps protect the public. Open standards like OpenID facilitate secure, vendor-neutral integration, allowing staff and citizens to use familiar authentication methods. The interoperability streamlines processes and enhances both transparency and security.
“This is one of my favorite topics—breaking down these silos—so that you have licensing, finance, enforcement, all the different parts, breaking down those walls,” explains Pedersen. “This enables you to offer a more holistic service delivery. And it really allows some collaboration and transparency between the different pieces of your agency and your state government.”
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Navigating Regulatory Agency Transformation: 5 Tips for Successfully Adopting Automated Systems
The public holds government agencies to heightened security expectations. Adopting proactive security measures, such as continuous monitoring and real-time alerts, help regulatory agencies stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and avoid the reputational and legal consequences of data breaches. Role-based access and audit trails ensure that only authorized personnel view sensitive data and ensure the tracking of each action for accountability.
“Cybersecurity is evolving daily,” Pedersen says. “I think the real key is to move from a reactive strategy to more of a proactive security strategy. That really ties in with the GovRAMP ready platform.”
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5 Regulatory Licensing Tools to Protect the Public
Modern regulatory agency systems must do more than store data. They must drive efficient workflows. Automated processes assign tasks, track progress and highlight bottlenecks, enabling agencies to do more with less. Metrics and digital process guides or online user manuals help staff specialize, improve responsiveness, and make data-driven decisions for legislative or operational improvements. AI-powered automation further boosts productivity by allowing staff to focus on high-value tasks.
Workflow really transforms an agency, explains Pedersen. “We had one state regulatory agency come to us and they were able to get their child care licenses down from a year and a half application process to three months. And when you’re thinking about getting kids placed in the right place, that’s huge. That sort of time reduction is just phenomenal and a lot of that was all done through workflow.”
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For state CIOs, these five moves help deliver secure, efficient and citizen-focused services. By embracing cloud hosting, agile platforms, integrated systems, proactive security, and automated workflows, agencies future-proof their technology and better serve their communities. Listen to our full conversation with Ryan Pedersen on our Talkin’ SaaS podcast.
Assess your agency’s readiness; schedule a consultation with GL Solutions and learn how to take the next step in regulatory agency modernization.
