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Smarter States, Smarter Communities Lessons learned from early technology adopters Prepared by IDC Research, Inc. for submission under contract with the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Smarter States,
Smarter Communities
Lessons learned from early technology adopters
State leaders are
exploring the
value that smart Executive Summary
and connected
technologies, Technology is accelerating the rate of change in the world around us, and this is
such as advanced providing Governors and state agencies with new opportunities to improve services
sensors, the and address important constituent concerns. These technologies are shaping
internet of things how we live, learn, work and play, permeating nearly every aspect of our lives in
(IoT), information unimaginable ways.
technology (IT)
and data analytics State leaders are exploring the value that smart and connected technologies,
can add for such as advanced sensors, the internet of things (IoT), information technology (IT)
constituents. and data analytics can add for constituents. There is an increasing opportunity
to adopt these technologies in a more holistic and coordinated fashion, working
across agencies and levels of government, to create new products and services,
and upgrade existing services, for constituents. Given that these processes and
technologies have become more mature and scalable, the time is ripe for Governors
to assess their own strategies and roadmaps to catalyze success.
The purpose of this paper is to provide tangible examples of successful smart states
and smart state initiatives, to plainly state critical actions that can be undertaken by
Governors to facilitate change and to document lessons learned from early state
technology adopters. National Governors Association (NGA) defines a smart state
as “a state or territory that integrates information and communications technologies
(ICT) and the internet of things (IoT) across agencies, infrastructure and industries to
improve the quality of life for residents and economic opportunities for businesses.”
Given that these processes and technologies have become more
mature and scalable, the time is ripe for Governors to assess their
own strategies and roadmaps to catalyze success.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 2
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
To do so, this paper explores key state domains and use cases for digital
technology deployment, examines critical foundational aspects of smart
states, such as underlying technologies and governance structures,
and addresses multiple, important considerations for Governors as
they pursue smart state initiatives. This paper addresses these central
areas and underscores the need for broader thinking and clearer
action to move smart states towards a robust and intelligent technology
Smart state
initiatives can ecosystem. With the smart state movement ascending, it is important
improve, measure to underscore its role in relation to many other key strategic initiatives,
and more driving innovation and furthering opportunity.
strategically deploy
Smart state initiatives can improve, measure and more strategically
technology and
deploy technology and infrastructure in sustainable, economically
infrastructure
in sustainable, viable, resilient, durable, efficient, accessible and equitable ways. By
economically taking clear and decisive action, Governors can target areas of need
viable, resilient, among their constituencies to find effective solutions to critical, complex
durable, efficient, issues like the opioid crisis, digital equity, the future of work, sustainable
accessible and infrastructure, environmental concerns, traffic management and 21st
equitable ways. century security threats.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 3
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 2
Table of Contents 4
Background: NGA’s Smarter States, Smarter Communities Initiative 5
Defining the Smart State: Scaling Digital Transformation 7
Making the Smarter State Tangible: Key Domain Areas and Use Cases 11
Energy 11
Distributed Energy Resource Deployment 12
Grid Connected Buildings and Efficiency 13
Public Sector Energy Management 13
Energy Best Practice Example 14
Public Safety 14
Data-driven Policing 14
Smart Emergency Management 15
Public Safety Best Practice: Washington 15
Transportation 16
Transportation Best Practice: Pennsylvania 17
Water and Wastewater 17
Water Infrastructure Best Practice: New York 18
Agriculture 18
Agriculture Best Practice: North Dakota 19
Health and Human Services 19
Social Determinants of Health 20
Health and Human Services Best Practice: Washington 21
Education 22
Education Best Practice: Massachusetts 23
Foundational Elements for Developing a Smart State Initiative 24
Information and Communications Technologies 24
Ubiquitous, High-speed Communications Networks 25
Internet of Things (IoT) 27
IT Development and Management 28
Cloud Platforms 29
Connectivity and the Digital Divide 30
Technology Governance 31
Flexible Policy Frameworks 32
The Importance of Leadership and Program Management 32
Strategy 33
Data Governance and Data Management Policies 33
Harnessing the Power of Data to Achieve State Policy Goals 35
IT Governance 36
Funding and Financing 37
Available Funding Mechanisms 37
Procurement Practices 38
The Future of Work 39
Important Implementation Considerations 42
Establishing Digital Trust 42
What’s the Relationship between Cybersecurity and Privacy? 43
Cybersecurity 44
Security by Design 45
Implementing Cybersecurity Best Practices 45
Considerations for State Supply Chain Resilience 46
IoT Security Regulation 46
Privacy 47
Nationwide Privacy Regulations for Consumer Technologies 47
State Regulations of Consumer Technologies 48
Privacy Principles to Consider for Smarter State Initiatives 48
Addressing Digital Equity and Accessibility 49
Pilots, Technology Demonstrations and Scalability 49
Community and Stakeholder Engagement 51
Best Practice Examples 52
Virginia: Data-Driven Innovation 52
Illinois: IT Centralization as Key to Modernization 54
North Dakota: Bridging the Urban/Rural Divide 55
Indiana: Centralized Data Services for State Agencies 57
Conclusion 58
Actions 59
About the National Governors Association 60
About IDC 60
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 4
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Background
NGA’s Smarter States, Smarter
Communities Initiative
Across the United States, communities are working to deploy connected
technologies that can help grow their economies, improve quality of life, make
government more responsive and enhance safety, mobility, sustainability and
resilience. Governors can harness the value of these technologies by improving
communications networks and IT systems, enhancing data governance, coor-
dinating local efforts, including rural areas alongside urban ones, addressing
cyber vulnerabilities and fostering economies of scale.
To help states To help states navigate and advance the transition to becoming smarter states
navigate and advance and make sure the benefits of these technologies are widely accessible, the Na-
the transition to tional Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) launched
becoming smarter the Smarter States, Smarter Communities initiative. The initiative is helping
states and make sure Governors develop statewide programs that build upon local successes. The
the benefits of these work is guided by an expert advisory group consisting of representatives from
technologies are academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, the federal government, and
widely accessible, the private-sector innovators.
National Governors
Association Center for
Best Practices (NGA Acknowledgements
Center) launched
the Smarter States, This paper was written by staff from the National Governors Association Cen-
Smarter Communities ter for Best Practices (NGA Center) and IDC Research Inc (IDC). Report authors
initiative. include Dan Lauf, Sue Gander, Garrett Eucalitto, Maggie Brunner, Patricio Portillo
and David Forscey from the NGA Center and Curt Savoie, Alison Brooks and
Ruthbea Yesner from IDC. The authors would like to thank the many NGA Center
and IDC colleagues, state officials and experts who provided topical insight,
content and reviews for this report.
The authors thank state interviewees including former Secretary Ron Guerrier of
the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology, former Indiana Chief Data
Officer Darshan Shah and Ashley Hungate of the Indiana Management Perfor-
mance Hub, North Dakota Chief Technology Officer Duane Schell and David
Ihrie of Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (on behalf of the Common-
wealth of Virginia).
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 5
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
The authors extend their gratitude for the generous support and contribu-
tions of expertise to NGA’s Smarter States, Smarter Communities initiative
provided by the following organizations:
• Crown Castle
• Deloitte
• Esri
• Itron
• SAS
• Siemens
• T-Mobile
• U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity
• Verizon
This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy
under Award Number(s) DE-OE0000817.
This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency
of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government
nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty,
express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the ac-
curacy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product,
or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately
owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process,
or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not
necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring
by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opin-
ions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of
the United States Government or any agency thereof.
Given that these processes and technologies have become more
mature and scalable, the time is ripe for Governors to assess their
own strategies and roadmaps to catalyze success.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 6
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Defining the Smart State
Scaling Digital Transformation
Throughout the United States, Governors are working to grow their states’ econo-
mies, improve quality of life for their constituents, enhance community and infra-
structure resilience and make government more responsive through digital trans-
formation and the deployment of highspeed telecommunications technologies.
There is no universally accepted definition of a “smart state,” nor is there consensus
around the more commonly used terms “smart city” or “smart community.” Borrowing
common elements from these initial concepts and state initiatives, NGA has defined
a smart state as: “A state or territory that integrates information and communications
technologies (ICT) and the IoT across agencies, infrastructure and industries to im-
prove the quality of life and economic viability of residents and businesses.” The key
to these technologies is that they are not only digital and connected, but also acces-
sible and implemented such that they deliver value to communities, businesses and
residents.
The concept of smart The concept of smart states is gaining in importance as communities wrestle with
states is gaining the profound digital transformation of daily life, catalyzed by technological advance-
in importance as ments. A number of cities across the country have established “smart city” pro-
communities wrestle grams, and these are increasingly expanding to regional efforts. As technology pro-
with the profound gresses, it will be vital for Governors to establish policy goals, outline a governance
digital transformation frameworks and identify which technologies can best be deployed to help achieve
of daily life, catalyzed their goals and benefit all constituents. A smart state aims to improve the well-being
by technological
of residents and businesses by:
advancements.
»S
caling, integrating and accelerating smart city initiatives across the state;
»E
xpanding access to new technologies – and the services they enable – to rural
and underserved communities; and
»A
dopting innovative technologies and administrative processes throughout the
state enterprise to inform data-driven, evidence-based policymaking and service
delivery.
The digital transformation of government is being driven by a confluence of public
expectations, demographic, environmental and technological innovations. Collec-
tively these factors are driving states and communities to use technology to trans-
form how residents, tourists, businesses and governments interact. Smart states
and communities are focused on deploying advanced and emerging technologies
for improved societal and qualit-of-life outcomes. Smart grid, intelligent transporta-
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 7
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
tion, connected street lighting, connected health, data-driven public safety, and smart
infrastructure deployments have the potential to deliver cost savings and workflow
efficiencies, improve resilience and unlock new beneficial services for constituents.
Technologically is on the precipice of a new chapter of transformation. The emer-
gence of five key technological pillars - cloud, mobile, social, big data and highspeed
telecommunications – have fundamentally transformed civic and business life. The
cloud has fundamentally changed how we manage information as on-site servers are
no longer needed to store and process massive amounts of digital information. Smart
phones and mobile applications have forever altered our expectations about the real-
time nature of data processing by allowing access to computers in the palm of our
hands and while on the move. Social applications and platforms galvanize real-time
information exchange broadly and within set communities of interest, often via mobile
devices, to facilitate new forms of interactivity and commerce. This continuous inno-
vation has generated massive amounts of new data, creating the need for advanced
analytics that convert big data into actionable insights. State governments sit atop vast
data stores, many of which are not being utilized to optimize decision-making and
policy implementation. All of these exist within a connected ecosystem powered by
growing high-speed telecommunications networks.
These pillars are increasingly accompanied by innovation accelerators: IoT, robotics,
1. Hans Schaffers1, Nicos artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and more. These
Komninos2 , Marc Pallot3, Brigitte
Trousse3, Michael Nilsson4, Alvaro developments have encouraged governments to rethink modernization to overhaul
Oliveira, Smart Cities and the Future
Internet: Towards Cooperation internal processes and adopt practices and technologies with a direct impact on
Frameworks for Open Innovation,
Page 434, https://link.springer.com/ residents.1 As shown in Figure 1, the acceleration of innovation encompasses a wide
content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-642-
20898-0.pdf range of technologies and approaches as part of a broader innovation ecosystem.
Social applications and platforms galvanize real-time information
exchange broadly and within set communities of interest, often via
mobile devices, to facilitate new forms of interactivity and commerce.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 8
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
FIGURE 1
Innovation Acceleration Covers a Wide Range
of Technologies
Source: IDC, 2020
Recent successes at the local level offer opportunities to expand smart government
initiatives to the state level in three ways:
»G
eographically, such as to rural and underserved communities;
»T
o areas of state regulatory authority, such as energy and transportation; and
»T
o state-owned technology and infrastructure, such as state IT systems and inter-
state highways.
States have been innovating across a variety of areas, but many current state efforts
2. “Smarter State,” accessed November 8,
are fragmented, limited in scope, and do not take advantage of the full suite of pol-
2020, https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/doit/
Strategy/Pages/SmarterIllinois.aspx.
icy levers. States can coordinate local efforts, including in rural and urban geogra-
3. “21st Century Infrastructure Commission phies, and foster economies of scale through statewide smart initiatives. States like
Report” , accessed November 8, 2020,
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/ Illinois,2 Michigan3 and Virginia4 have already stood up comprehensive efforts that
snyder/21st_Century_Infrastructure_
Commission_Final_Report_1_544276_7.pdf can help inform other states that are moving in this direction. While early adopters
4. “Smart Communities Virginia,” Center
for Innovative Technology, accessed of smart technologies have often been cities, as seen below in Figure 2, smart use
November 8, 2020, http://www.cit.org/
vasmart/. cases also extend beyond cities, to states and nations.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 9
White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
FIGURE 2
Smart States Exist As Part of a Broader Smart Continuum
SMART CITIES SMART STATES SMART NATION
• Single city • Multiple cities and towns •C
ountry level
• Urban sphere of influence • Urban, suburban and rural •M
ultiple states
• Uses case in: influence; urban corridors
• Use case in:
• Water and waste management • Use case in:
• Policy and regulation
• Connected street lighting • Smart
grid and infrastructure
modernization • Import/export trade
• Smart parking
•S mart agriculture • Exporting the brand overseas
• Public transportation
•W ater and wastewater • Technology research and
• Road pricing management development
• Particulate monitoring • Infrastructure maintenance and • Innovation funding and research
• Connected police officers and asset management
ambulances • Education and healthcare policy
•P ublic safety and criminal justice
• City hall services • Border protection
•S mart tollbooths, highways,
• Connected museums interurban transport • Emergency/disaster response
• Smart buildings •S mart public health, healthcare • Military and defense
and social programs
•E ducation and healthcare policy
•E mergency/disaster response
Source: IDC and NGA, 2020
•S mart buildings
• Telecommunications/broadband
With technologies and processes that exist today, Governors aspiring to establish
smarter states can offer all constituents better access to government services,
improved safety and mobility, enhanced economic development, and reduced
environmental impact.
State economic development strategies — such as business attraction, retention, and startup — are increasingly including
plans for broadband expansion and other foundational elements of smarter state initiatives. Broadband, for example, is
essential to those states that are working to keep their fast-growing small businesses from moving to potentially more
conducive business environments. The recruitment of larger more-established businesses is difficult without broadband
infrastructure that is either already in place or being integrated into site readiness plans — particularly if the business is an
advanced manufacturing firm, typically linked to IoT. The provision of broadband also offers a way to support and network
entrepreneurial ecosystems, particularly those located in rural and underserved areas.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 10White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Making the Smarter
State Tangible
Key Domain Areas and Use Cases
Applications for smart technologies exist in sub-domains across state government
and industry. The sections below examine the key state domains that will be impacted
by these innovations: energy, public safety, transportation, sustainable infrastructure,
agriculture, health, human services and education. Importantly, as Governors and state
officials deploy new technologies to unlock value for citizens and businesses, it’s impor-
tant to consider the interdependencies between many of these domain areas and how
collaborative, cross-sector approaches can yield even greater advancements.
Energy
With smart meter Newer, connected technologies and applications across electricity transmission and dis-
deployments tribution grids are providing operators and regulators with more visibility into and control
expected to exceed over electric systems, improving their ability to balance supply and demand and proac-
100 million in 2020, tively address potential outages before they become problematic. Distributed energy
more people can resources, such as customer-sited generation, energy storage, electric vehicle infra-
access these structure, and building-control technologies are providing energy consumers with more
benefits. choice and control over how they consume and generate power. Advanced digital me-
tering with two-way communications is allowing electric and gas utilities and their cus-
tomers to evaluate their energy-use patterns with unprecedented granularity – in some
cases near real-time – yielding new opportunities to remotely monitor and automate
grid performance and address resilience and reliability concerns. These technologies
are becoming increasingly common; however, this modernization depends on adequate
regulatory and policy oversight to facilitate innovation while protecting customers from
potential cost, reliability, cybersecurity and equity concerns.
Smart-grid deployments – which include advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), two-
way communications between those infrastructure assets and grid operators, and trans-
mission- and distribution automation technologies – are fundamentally reshaping how
energy is generated, moved, and consumed. With smart meter deployments expected
to exceed 100 million in 2020,5 more people can access these benefits. It is important
that states work with their electric-sector counterparts to ensure that these technologies
are being fully utilized so their costs are justified, and customers benefit.
5. “Smart Meter Report”, accessed
November 8, 2020, https://www.
Smart-energy technologies can further improve reliability and resilience. By providing
edisonfoundation.net/iei/publications/
Documents/IEI_Smart%20Meter%20
increased visibility into energy systems, smart meters improve situational awareness in
Report_2019_FINAL.pdf
daily operations as well as during an emergency by pinpointing outages in real time,
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 11White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
allowing utilities to more rapidly assess damage, predict and communicate restoration
times and deploy repair crews. Switch automation can also allow energy systems to
rapidly identify and isolate faults to contain outages.
Advanced sensor and control technologies coupled with distributed generation can
also be combined to create microgrids – portions of the electric grid that can be dis-
connected, sometimes referred to as islanded, from the bulk-power grid and operate
independently during an outage. States across the country are incentivizing invest-
ments in microgrids to improve resilience for vulnerable communities and critical infra-
structure systems. For example, Maryland’s Resilience Hub Grant Program, run by the
Maryland Energy Administration, provides funding for solar and microgrid developers
to construct systems in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in Maryland.6 The
Advanced sensor Bronzeville Community Microgrid, approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission
and control and developed by ComEd, will be a multi-customer, community-scale effort to deploy
technologies
distributed solar, storage and automation technologies in the Bronzeville neighbor-
coupled with
hood of Chicago. This community microgrid will maintain electric supply during an
distributed
emergency and provide on-site solar generation for customers, including low income
generation can
also be combined customers, during blue-sky days.7
to create
Distributed Energy Resource Deployment
microgrids.
As Governors continue to set ambitious goals for energy efficiency, renewable energy
generation and electric vehicles, it will become increasingly important for states and
energy companies to plan how best to integrate these technologies into the electric
grid. Distributed generation like solar and wind is variable and electric vehicles are
mobile, presenting grid operators with forecasting and load balancing challenges.
AMI, sensors, EV smart charging and automation technologies, paired with hardware
such as battery storage, can help utilities create more flexible and responsive distribu-
tion systems. This assists states in meeting their goals while maintaining grid reliability,
resilience, and affordability. In Virginia, Dominion energy is deploying electric school
buses to both reduce emissions and, with the ability to communicate with the grid,
provide emergency backup power to relieve congestion, maintain reliability, and act
as mobile power stations when the grid goes down.8
6. “Resiliency Hub Grant Program,”
Resiliency Hub, accessed November 8,
2020, https://energy.maryland.gov/Pages/ New rate design mechanisms, such as time-variant rates, leverage data produced by
Resiliency-Hub.aspx.
7. “ComEd,” Powering Lives
smart-grid technologies as price signals for infrastructure operators and/or consum-
Network, September 16, 2019, http://
bronzevillecommunityofthefuture.com/ ers. These rates can be used to optimize energy consumption in buildings and enable
project-microgrid/.
the adoption and optimal use of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop
8. “Electric School Buses: Dominion
Energy,” Electric School Buses | Dominion
Energy, accessed November 8, 2020,
solar and electric vehicles. Time-variant rates can be implemented during times when
https://www.dominionenergy.com/our-
stories/electric-school-buses.
load and prices peak to avoid spikes in price or generation shortages. They can also
9. “Distributed Energy Resources Rate be used more regularly to correspond with the situation on the grid, such as real-time
Design and Compensation”, accessed
November 8, 2020, https://pubs.naruc. pricing models. Time-variant rates are being piloted or implemented in states across
org/pub/19FDF48B-AA57-5160-DBA1-
BE2E9C2F7EA0 the country, including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Maryland and Oklahoma.9
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 12White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
10. Taft, JD, Becker-Dippmann, A (2015).
Grid Architecture. Report No. PNNL-24044. Grid Connected Buildings and Efficiency
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
accessed November 8, 2020, https://
gridarchitecture.pnnl.gov/media/white-
papers/Grid%20Architecture%20%20-%20
Smart building technology can help state facilities decrease energy use, improve
DOE%20QER.pdf
sustainability and reduce operating costs. Community interest in sustainability and the
declining costs of sensors and cloud computing has made embedding smart building
technologies in new buildings, as well as retrofitting old buildings, a priority. Networked
lighting systems, connected heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, smart thermostats,
smart elevators and frictionless building entry systems are examples of smart building
technologies that offer benefits to facility managers and occupants, while helping meet
sustainability and efficiency goals.
Public Sector Energy Management
To help policymakers, regulators, and utilities plan and navigate modernization of the
electric grid, the U.S. Department of Energy is developing a new “Grid Architecture”
framework.10 Particularly salient in this framework – and relevant to technology gover-
nance broadly – is the notion that technology deployments should be informed by poli-
cy objectives. Governors can begin by establishing their policy objectives and intended
goals at the outset of a smart states initiative. States, in collaboration with academic
and/or private sector partners, can then identify the specific system capabilities and
new technologies that will allow the infrastructure system to meet those desired goals.
With those goals and parameters in mind, states can then more effectively identify,
procure and implement new technologies at lower cost, ensuring value is maximized for
constituents. Figure 3 provides a broad outline of this framework:
FIGURE 3
Framework for Establishing More Effective Technology Goals
Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:
Determine Policy Objectives Identify Necessary System Implement Systems
and Project Scope Capabilities & Functionality Architecture Strategy
What do you wish to accomplish What systems capabilities What are the technologies
through smart technology and technology functionality that can optimally get you the
deployment? What is your timeline are needed to meet those needed functionality?
to achieve those objectives? objectives?
To identify those technologies, the architecture framework identifies the following steps:
» D
evelop functional use » D
evelop detailed design » Through innovative » D
evelop a detailed
cases to identify detailed specifications, accounting procurements and strategic implementation plan to
business and technical for economic, technical partnerships, select the cost effectively deploy the
requirements. and regulatory constraints technology that optimally— selected technologies.
in your state. and cost effectively—allows
you to meet your stated
objectives
Source: IDC, 2020
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 13White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Energy Best Practice Example
Massachusetts has adopted and implemented innovative polices related to smart
technology in the energy sector. In 2018, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU)
approved substantial funds – roughly $220 million – to be spent on modernizing
In 2018, the
Department of the energy grid over the next three years.11 Technology such as advanced meter-
Public Utilities ing infrastructure (AMI) and automated control devices are the main target for the
(DPU) approved allocated funding. These machines are instrumental for bolstering grid reliability
substantial and resilience, along with assisting consumers in evaluating their energy use
funds – roughly habits. As grid modernization continues to be of national interest, states like Mas-
$220 million – sachusetts are taking the necessary steps to demonstrate how grid infrastructure
to be spent on can be revolutionized and brought into the 21st century, while additionally showing
modernizing the how a smart grid factors into an ultimately smart state.
energy grid over
the next three
years. Public Safety
The digital transformation of public safety spans several critical priority areas in-
cluding data-driven policing and smart emergency management.
Data-driven Policing
Data collection and analysis support law enforcement agencies in efforts to devel-
op comprehensive strategies to direct resources and address community needs.
To improve these efforts, public safety and law enforcement agencies across the
country are deploying a broad array of next-generation technologies such as arti-
ficial intelligence, advanced video analysis, fixed and mobile surveillance systems,
real-time crime centers, digital evidence management platforms, digital forensics,
11. “Department of Public Utilities Issues mobile solutions and wearables. Data and process interoperability allow police
Order to Modernize Commonwealth’s
Electric Grid,” Mass.gov, accessed officers to connect the dots more quickly across multiple geographies and jurisdic-
November 8, 2020, https://www.mass.gov/
news/department-of-public-utilities-issues- tions, while automation technologies provide first responders with enhanced situ-
order-to-modernize-commonwealths-
electric-grid. ational awareness, enabling quicker response times with the right resources.
To improve these efforts, public safety and law enforcement
agencies across the country are deploying a broad array
of next-generation technologies.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 14White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Sensors and software improve traditional techniques, allowing law enforcement to
analyze large criminal datasets and help officers create more accurate forecasts to
better allocate limited resources.12 Recently, social media surveillance has provided
opportunities to track public disturbances in real-time, monitor at-risk individuals
and guide individual investigations.13 Additional data gathered from networked opti-
cal and audio sensors allow agencies to correlate more information and improve
predictions.
Mobile broadband With these new capabilities, Governors should consider how they can be deployed
capabilities help responsibly. While these tools may improve some law enforcement practices, com-
save lives by munities and advocacy groups have expressed concern about the potential for
allowing victims these technologies to violate civil liberties and further racial disparities in policing.
of accidents or Adequate oversight and community engagement are crucial to ensure these tech-
crimes to give more nologies are deployed in ways that bolster, rather than diminish, the public’s trust in
information to first law enforcement.
responders through
text, images or Smart Emergency Management
video.
First responders and emergency personnel depend on a complex array of emer-
gency communications equipment to coordinate operations and save lives. Yet
some of the equipment currently in the field is not interoperable, leaving first
responders unable to communicate effectively with external partners during inci-
dents.14 New communications capabilities and networking technologies improve
interoperability, allowing more devices to communicate via standard protocols.
Mobile broadband capabilities help save lives by allowing victims of accidents or
crimes to give more information to first responders through text, images or video.
A combination of technologies allows first responders to collect better information,
enhance situational awareness, manage digital evidence from new sources and
deploy resources more effectively and quickly.
12. “Predictive Policing”, accessed
Emergency services are increasingly drawing on distributed networks of sensors in
November 8, 2020, https://www.rand.org/
content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/
rivers and urban waterways that provide real-time flood and earthquake data that
RR200/RR233/RAND_RR233.sum.pdf
planners use to evacuate citizens and save lives.
13. John S. Hollywood et al., “How Police
Could Use Social Media and Social
Network Analysis,” RAND Corporation,
July 18, 2018, https://www.rand.org/pubs/
Public Safety Best Practice: Washington
research_reports/RR2301.html.
14. “Progress Report: How Far Has
Interoperability Come Since 9/11?,”
Washington State Patrol (WSP) recently conducted a pilot program using drones
Government Technology State & Local
Articles - e.Republic, accessed November
equipped with 3D crime scene reconstruction cameras. The drones were used
8, 2020, https://www.govtech.com/em/
safety/Progress-Report-Interoperability. to reduce road closure time associated with accidents and large-scale incidents,
html.
improve the quality of forensic mapping capabilities and improve officer safety.15 A
15. Washington State Patrol presentation
at the 2019 International Association of the carefully crafted drone policy framework was critical to the success of this technol-
Chiefs of Police Technology Conference,
May 22-24, Jacksonville Florida. ogy. WSP drafted clear and restrictive policy with input from political bodies, both
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 15White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
internal and external stakeholders, community organizations and civil rights groups.
The policy sets out a plan for data retention, public disclosure, usage tracking, and
drone misuse. Over the nine-month pilot program, drones were leveraged in 91 in-
vestigations, resulting in 162 hours of road closure savings — a 77 percent reduction
in the time it took to reopen highways and an estimated cost savings of $3.4 million.
Transportation
Americans collectively spend billions of hours annually sitting in traffic.16 By inte-
grating sensors and connected technologies into surface roads and public transit
systems, as well as implementing programs to automate transportation and leverag-
ing transportation data, states are expanding their abilities to manage traffic, provide
real-time transit updates, improve safety and plan for future needs. Advanced traffic
management systems employ sensors and analytics to adapt traffic signaling to
changing conditions in real time, reducing congestion. Wayfinding tools can offer
real-time traffic information and suggest alternate routes, and more importantly,
alternate modes of transit such as public transport. Smart parking can ease conges-
tion and reduce time spent looking for and paying for parking. Dynamic tolling and
congestion pricing are used to reduce the number of cars on specific roads, while
concurrently generating revenue for road repairs or other capital projects.
Intelligent transportation systems assist with asset management and predictive
maintenance. Vehicle sensors track government fleets, public buses or light rail and
help to optimize routes over time for better service. Sensors also alert workers to
upcoming maintenance issues so fleets can be repaired before problems arise that
impact service.
16.AJ Willingham, “Commuters Waste an
Average of 54 Hours a Year Stalled in Accompanying these benefits, however, are concerns surrounding cyber risks, job
Traffic, Study Says,” CNN (Cable News
Network, August 22, 2019), https://www.cnn. displacement, adverse impacts to state and local revenue streams, rising vehicle
com/2019/08/22/us/traffic-commute-gridlock-
transportation-study-trnd/index.html. miles traveled, equity and affordability.
Intelligent transportation systems assist with asset management
and predictive maintenance.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 16White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Transportation Best Practice: Pennsylvania
The state of Pennsylvania published its Smart Transportation Guidebook in 2008,17
with a review in 201118 and a further update in 2016.19 These reviews promoted
smart transportation practices that foster equitable economic development and
Diminished water environmental sustainability, while maintaining high standards of governmental ef-
supply, growing
ficiency and transparency. This led to the creation of the State Smart Transportation
water demand, aging
Initiative that focused on three core areas: creating a community of best practices,
water/ wastewater
technical assistance and convening key stakeholders.
infrastructure
and water quality This effort has shifted capital investment strategies to focus on maintenance and
concerns are causing system integrity instead of expansion, and new programs take into account smart
states to consider
land use, community revitalization, asset management and place-based concepts
how technology
and initiatives. It has also led to the creation of programs tasked with fixing current
can optimize water
infrastructure and accelerating bridge repair, a major redesign of 26 critical projects
management and
water use. to better work with local planning agencies, a more collaborative approach to proj-
ect selection and approval, and the fast tracking of smaller projects across the state
through the Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative. The Pennsylvania
Community Transportation Initiative also provided funding and guidance.
Water and Wastewater
Diminished water supply, growing water demand, aging water/ wastewater infra-
structure and water quality concerns are causing states to consider how technol-
ogy can optimize water management and water use. For example, sensors can be
used to detect water pipe erosion; smart water meters can detect leaks; wastewa-
ter sensors can detect early signs of overflows; and smart irrigation can reduce the
amount of water needed in the agricultural sector. The need for these water man-
agement solutions will become more pronounced over time as states grapple with
potential water scarcity and affordability issues. Real-time monitoring of water not
only enables faster repair of leaks and targeted pipe replacements but also helps
analyze usage trends for preventative action or policy development.
17. “Smart Transportation Guidebook”, The use cases for smart technologies have expanded during the 2020 COVID-19
accessed November 8, 2020, https://www.
dvrpc.org/reports/08030A.pdf pandemic. For example, analysis of COVID-19 wastewater testing data is being
18.“State Smart Transportation Initiative”,
accessed November 8, 2020, https://
pioneered to identify emerging COVID-19 hotspots since wastewater testing can
ssti.us/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/
SSTI_Review_of_PennDOT_Smart_ detect the virus about 14 days before people show symptoms. States across the
Transportation.pdf
country are monitoring wastewater to obtain early indicators of the presence of CO-
19. https://www.penndot.gov/
ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Documents/ VID-19 in communities or congregate settings and to determine whether cases are
PennDOT-LRTP%20-%20FINAL%20
August%202016.pdf increasing or decreasing. Sharing this data on public dashboards is enabling health
20. “COVID-19 Monitoring in Wastewater,”
Colorado COVID-19 Updates, accessed agencies to target scare resources and informing the decision making of local of-
November 8, 2020, https://covid19.
colorado.gov/for-lphas-health-care- ficials and the public. States like Utah, Colorado, Missouri, Ohio and Massachusetts
providers/lphas-partners/covid-19-
monitoring-in-wastewater. are exploring, or beginning to implement, this solution.20
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 17White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
With many Governors looking to invest in effective infrastructure projects, the
need to design sustainable and smart solutions has become ever more important.
Sustainable infrastructure takes many forms and includes water and wastewater
management infrastructure in both urban and rural environments. Often, these key
pieces of infrastructure are differentiated from traditional forms by the inclusion of
Precision agriculture IoT sensors powering automated feedback and control mechanisms, intelligent me-
reduces inputs tering, predictive maintenance and integrated security. These features can help get
by using variable the most from investments, decrease costs to consumers and conserve and protect
application in vital resources
response to changing
crop needs, through
global positioning Water Infrastructure Best Practice: New York
systems (GPS), sensor
networks, and drones. New York has prioritized sustainable water infrastructure by passing the Water
Infrastructure Improvement Act21 and the Clean Water Infrastructure Act22 to fund
community upgrades in water infrastructure to improve environmental performance,
system reliability and cost. These programs will drive $2.5 billion in spending across
the state in the coming years. The Water Infrastructure Improvement Act was cre-
ated as part of New York’s fiscal year 2015 budget cycle to increase funding applied
to improvements for drinking water and wastewater systems, emphasizing a priority
for projects that increase resiliency due to sea level rise and other weather-related
events. It was renewed in the fiscal year 2016 state budget with a larger financial al-
location, greatly expanding the grants available to various organizations. The Clean
Water Infrastructure Act was created in the following fiscal year to support these
initial investments. This new funding source is specifically for drinking water and
wastewater improvements, upgrades to septic systems, green smart infrastructure
grants, and water conservation projects.
Agriculture
To remain competitive, farmers are adopting precision agriculture technologies to
increase outputs with fewer inputs. Precision agriculture reduces inputs by using
21. “Water Infrastructure Improvement
Act,” Water Infrastructure Improvement
variable application in response to changing crop needs, through global positioning
Act | Environmental Facilities Corporation,
accessed November 8, 2020, https://www. systems (GPS), sensor networks and drones. These technologies have the potential
efc.ny.gov/WIIA.
to boost crop yield by 3 to 18 percent through targeted fertilizing, planting, spraying
22. “Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation
Investing $2.5 Billion in Clean Water and irrigation. However, many of the precision agriculture technologies require high-
Infrastructure and Water Quality
Protection,” Governor Andrew M. Cuomo,
May 1, 2017, https://www.Governor.
speed broadband to exchange information and, as of 2016, over 30 percent of rural
ny.gov/news/Governor-cuomo-signs-
legislation-investing-25-billion-clean-water-
areas in the U.S. lacked access. Further, as agriculture equipment becomes more
infrastructure-and-water.
sophisticated, challenges surrounding the right to repair, which gives the end user
23. Matt Viverito, “Agriculture,” ArcGIS
StoryMaps (Esri, June 27, 2019), https:// the right to fix and maintain key pieces of technology without restrictive licensing
storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6605494689
dc413785afc1e3f06f0658. agreements imposed by vendors, have been elevated to the state-level.23
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 18White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
Agriculture Best Practice: North Dakota
The Grand Farm24 project in North Dakota, which is deploying drones and automated
processes to revamp agricultural practices, is serving as a test site for many cutting-
edge smart technologies looking to revolutionize farming. This effort has required
stakeholders to think about policy and governance, education and technology infra-
structure while concurrently bringing together both state and private sector partners.
Along with the impact to farming, these efforts will also help accelerate the state’s
development of a robust high-tech sector, diversifying the state economy and adding
high-paying, high-skill jobs in areas such as machine learning, engineering and robot-
ics. In projects like this, a Governor can play an effective and important role in stream-
lining regulations and opening up paths to innovative technology usage and creating
new opportunities for partnerships and new initiatives.
Health and Human Services
Innovative technology affords new possibilities to improve health and well-being. The
application of technology in health and human services programs can help states take
a data-driven approach towards solving complex challenges that often require cross-
sector policies and increased data sharing among diverse programs. Data and technol-
ogy can help improve service delivery, streamline eligibility, incentivize performance
and foster efficient administration of programs and resources. Technologies that help
drive improvements include things like electronic health records, health information
sharing platforms, integrated data systems and analytics, telemedicine and remote
patient monitoring. For example, integrated data analysis and visualization can help
states improve their response to the opioid crisis by identifying drug overdose hot
spots, allowing state and local officials to target interventions, rehabilitation, and en-
24. “Grand Farm,” Grand Farm, April 23,
2020, http://grandfarm.com/. forcement resources more effectively.
The Grand Farm project in North Dakota, which is deploying
drones and automated processes to revamp agricultural practices,
is serving as a test site for many cutting-edge smart technologies
looking to revolutionize farming.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 19White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
In 49 states, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) serve as a useful tool to
inform clinical decisions and help support referrals to substance use disorder (SUD)
treatment. PDMPs collect, analyze and share specific data on controlled substances
prescriptions with health care providers and dispensers, providing valuable informa-
tion to help states work towards changing prescription drug use patterns and reduc-
ing prescription-drug-related overdoses and deaths. This has been an effective tool
for opioid policy in states such as Virginia,25 Massachusetts26 and Kentucky.27
Health and Health and human services organizations are under pressure to improve capacity
human services and outcomes. Due to changing citizen needs and expectations, many are seeking
organizations are to better empower case workers, optimize case management, and transform social
under pressure to service delivery. Agencies have been balancing legislative, regulatory, and policy
improve capacity requirements of programs plagued by reduced staff and the reality that many families
and outcomes. are dependent on multiple health and social programs. Often these programs exist in
isolated silos which can cause duplication due to lack of communication, disconnect-
ed systems and manual processes, resulting in delays of enrollment, verification, and
benefit delivery. These challenges are compounded by an inability to address root
causes of needs; traditionally, human services have addressed needs arising from
persistent poverty or hardship during or after a crisis. Agencies are addressing root
causes of needs by focusing on the social determinants of health.
Social Determinants of Health
According to the World Health Organization, social determinants of health (SDoH)
are conditions into which people are born, grow, live, work and age that impact their
health. SDoH typically include social economic status, education, employment and
income, housing, available transportation, family and social support, safety and health
behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco and drug use, diet and exercise.
Indiana has been seeking to address these issues by taking the following steps to
understand SDoH and improve the health of residents:28
»U
nderstand the data. A series of optional social determinants of health questions
regarding social, economic, physical and health behaviors are embedded at the
conclusion of online applications for SNAP/TANF/Medicaid. The agency uses the
data to determine the needs of who, what, where and why to pivot services to those
needing assistance.
28. Family and Social Services Administration
»E
ducate. Staff are being trained to build relationships, not a series of transactions,
(FSSA), State of Indiana, 2019
and to better assess and assist with an intentional focus on SDoH.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 20White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
»R
efer. While addressing challenges such as lack of coordination, funding, and
even insufficient access to data, the state is reaching out to the network of
community-based organizations for assistance.
»P
revent/mitigate. Indiana is working to build an ecosystem of partners to de-
liver services and develop policies that improve equity by eliminating barriers
that prevent participation in services.
The use cases for smart technologies in health services have become particular-
ly apparent during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. From integrated, public-facing
dashboards to testing wastewater to identify COVID-19 hotspots, digital, data and
sensor-based technologies have proven to be critical public health tools. Many
states are providing public health data to the public through COVID-19 data dash-
boards and other resources as communications tools and to facilitate research
and response efforts. For example, Minnesota’s COVID-19 Dashboard contains
granular data about cases and deaths across geographies and demographics as
well as information about unemployment, response efforts, social distancing and
more.29
Health and Human Services Best Practice: Washington
Washington’s In Washington, integrated analytics has become a vital part of how the state man-
integrated databases ages and creates policy for health and human services. Through its Research
bring together and Data Analysis Division (RDA) within the Washington Department of Social
information on risk, and Health and Human Services (DSHS), the state is driving better outcomes for
service utilization, constituents across the state. Washington’s integrated databases bring together
expenditure, and information on risk, service utilization, expenditure and outcome data for individu-
outcome data for als served by several different state agencies. The information is used to conduct
individuals served by program evaluation, performance measurement, predictive modeling, forecast-
several different state
ing, geographical analysis and policy analysis to inform the design, operation
agencies.
and evaluation of health and human services programs. For example, the state
can identify high-risk individuals and target social supports, such as housing,
transportation, employment services or interventions to reduce risk of criminal
justice system involvement. RDA has also conducted an array of program evalu-
ations that inform policy development, such as a recent review of the state’s
Foundational Community Supports program, which provides supportive housing
and employment services to clients with complex physical or behavioral health
care needs. RDA’s analyses found that clients enrolled in supported employment
services experienced statistically significant improvements in employment rates,
29. MN Covid Dashboard, accessed
November 8, 2020, https://mn.gov/covid19/
earnings and hours worked. Similarly, clients enrolled in supportive housing
data/covid-dashboard/index.jsp.
services realized increased transition out of homelessness. Supportive housing
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 21White Paper | Smarter States, Smarter Communities: Lessons Learned from Early Technology Adopters
services were also associated with reductions in outpatient emergency depart-
ment and inpatient utilization. As demonstrated, the value of the cross-sector
analytical capabilities of Washington’s integrated data system is delivering wide-
ranging and impactful benefits to quality of life for constituents.30
There are numerous Education
broadband efforts
Online and remote learning can help train and retrain the workforce, expanding
underway to
enable classroom opportunities and ultimately supporting economic and workforce development.
connectivity. For Modern education initiatives in a smart state need to further the opportunities for
example, the FCC’s constituents and communities as well as be coordinated with other types of pub-
E-Rate program lic benefits. This holistic approach to education maximizes the impact not just for
allows schools and the individual but for the state as a whole.
libraries to apply for
discounted internet Long-term online learning will continuously provide workers with the knowl-
and broadband edge and skills they need to stay on the cutting edge of their professions, while
services simultaneously creating new opportunities for economic support and workforce
development. Digital technology is also being used in school systems across
the country to keep them safer, run programs more efficiently, recognize issues
and opportunities for early intervention, and identify the variables that lead to
academic success.
There are numerous broadband efforts underway to enable classroom con-
nectivity. For example, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-
Rate program allows schools and libraries to apply for discounted internet and
broadband services.31 Further, as students increasingly rely on the internet for
homework, online higher education, and – where schools are closed due to CO-
VID-19 – remote education, Governors are supporting community and at-home
broadband connectivity.
Digital skills and learning are critical vectors to successfully navigating workforce
demands in the 21st century, as well as the means to close employment gaps in
30. “About RDA,” DSHS, accessed November
8, 2020, https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/research- science, technology, engineering and math. According to the Education Super-
and-data-analysis/about-rda.
highway Roadmap for State Leaders,32 63 percent of teachers believe digital
31. “E-Rate,” Universal Service Administrative
Company, July 27, 2020, https://www.usac. learning tools are the most effective way to connect learning to their students’
org/e-rate.
32. “State of the States, the classroom future jobs and careers. This is prompting Governors to target educational
connectivity gap is closed”, accessed
November 8, 2020, https://s3-us-west-1. investments, often in partnership with industry, in areas that, align K-12 education
amazonaws.com/esh-sots-pdfs/2019%20
State%20of%20the%20States.pdf and employment by addressing digital-learning-enabled career and technical
education experiences.
© 2021 NGA. www.nga.org | Page 22You can also read
