NASCIO discusses strategic planning, AI ethics concerns
State CIOs from throughout the U.S. recently gathered for NASCIO’s 2023 Annual Conference, during which stakeholders discussed strategic planning, working with community colleges to fill state IT jobs, the development of artificial intelligence, and much more. According to Michigan CIO Laura Clark, state tech leaders are poised to take on a more transformative role in the field of government technology as time passes.
While research and planning were among the conference’s most discussed topics, the ever-present challenge of labor shortages came up multiple times as well. Certain stakeholders, like Illinois CIO Sanjay Gupta, promoted the value of collaboration with community colleges to create IT training programs that could help to foster a “diverse talent pipeline” to public sector positions. CIOs were also encouraged to take better advantage of the talent already at their disposal.
Ethical considerations regarding AI also arose at the conference. Vermont AI director Josiah Raiche, for example, highlighted the importance of prioritizing ethics before policies when it comes to generative AI, saying governments should develop a “code of ethics” before exploring acceptable use cases in digital services. This code, Raiche said, should include maintaining public trust and striving to balance productivity with employee well-being. Read more at GovTech and StateScoop.
Massachusetts psychologists promote interstate licensing compact
Last week, psychologists in Massachusetts urged state lawmakers to pass legislation that would enter the state into the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. In a meeting of the state’s Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, psychologists said the compact would enable them to ensure continuity of care during life transitions, such as when patients move out of state or attend out-of-state colleges.
The Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact currently comprises 40 states, and Massachusetts is the only New England state that has yet to join. Its model is intended to fill gaps in mental health care access and facilitate the use of telehealth services across state lines. Aimee Yermish, a licensed psychologist, said at the hearing that a lack of license mobility can force therapists to unethically abandon their clients when they move, knowing full well that many of them may never find new care providers.
While opponents believe interstate licensing might raise safety concerns, increase competition, and decrease market share for Massachusetts-based psychologists, proponents, like Christine Runyan, a clinical psychologist and founder of a telehealth company, argue the unmet mental health care needs in certain populations still make passing license mobility laws essential to providing care where it is needed most. Read more at WBZ News Radio.
Utah County utilizes new emergency response system
Metro Emergency Communications in Utah County, Utah, recently announced the implementation of new tools that use artificial intelligence to improve emergency response efforts. The agency is using a cloud software platform that enables users to submit video, audio, and other media to emergency call centers. It also offers highly precise “real-time, dynamic caller location” services. County officials say the new system gives operators a more holistic view of emergency incidents.
Before the implementation of the new call management system, dubbed Carbyne Universe, emergency response in Utah County resembled that of most other jurisdictions throughout the U.S., relying entirely on voice communications between callers, dispatchers, and other operators. The new system also allows dispatchers to interface with a “Video WallBoard,” which creates a visual representation of incidents for dispatchers to track multiple ongoing emergencies.
According to Heather Perkins, manager of Metro Emergency Communications, the new system, which went live August 28, has enabled emergency service personnel to respond to incidents more effectively. In one case, dispatchers used Carbyne’s video services to examine footage of a brush fire, determine its location, and determine the appropriate fire response. Read more about Utah County’s new 911 capabilities at StateScoop.
PEI building industry continues push for contractor licensing rules
Prince Edward Island’s building industry is continuing its push for a contractor licensing regime amid a prolonged labor shortage and increasing issues with contractor scams and unfinished work. The Construction Association of P.E.I. has been making this request for nearly three years with little success, and according to association leadership, the situation has only gotten worse, with complaints flooding in over legitimate and illegitimate contractors alike.
Earlier this year, for example, a P.E.I.-based contractor was sentenced to 20 months in jail for theft and fraud. Another case involves a Stratford man charged last month over allegations of fraudulently taking money for construction work. Stakeholders believe this is only the tip of the iceberg, especially considering the wave of complaints that arrived in the wake of Hurricane Fiona, and argue P.E.I. is the only Canadian province without adequate standards to ensure consumer protection.
In the meantime, leaders in the province’s construction industry have pointed out warning signs that could tip homeowners off to illegitimate or substandard contracting services. These include contractors asking for cash payment, directing customers to purchase materials themselves, and asking for large down payments up front. The P.E.I. government provided little update on the push for a licensing regime, saying it would continue to work with the construction association on advancing the island’s industry. Read more at CBC.
Out-of-state attorneys advertising in Maui could face legal penalties
Legal authorities in Hawaii are investigating lawyers over suspicions of improper solicitation in the wake of Maui’s wildfire disaster, at a time when attorneys have flocked to the state in attempts to sign victims up for lawsuits. Hawaii Chief Disciplinary Counsel Bradley Tamm said he has investigated concerns about 42 lawyers or law firms and is actively investigating 22 attorneys, all of whom could potentially face disciplinary action or even criminal penalties.
Flyers like one sent by Texas attorney Erick Dick, with verbiage saying victims “may be entitled to money” even though the lawyers have no Hawaii clients, are illicit under state law, which says attorneys who are not licensed in Hawaii or working with Hawaii attorneys may not solicit clients there. Tamm says that his office has been overwhelmed by the onslaught of mainland lawyers and that many of the relevant legal issues are just being raised for the first time.
Hawaii’s legal authorities are bound by strict secrecy rules as they go through the lengthy process of investigating incidents of illegal solicitation, so there is no exact timeline for when these issues may be resolved. However, if unlicensed attorneys take their clients’ cases to trial, opposing lawyers may have the power to conduct their own investigations, make reports to judges, and force clients to find representation elsewhere. Read more at Hawaii News Now.
More news:
- Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced upcoming transitions of power in several state agencies, including the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The governor announced the department’s new Acting Director of Professional Regulation, pending Senate confirmation, would be Camile Lindsay, who currently serves as First Assistant Deputy Governor for Public Safety, Infrastructure, Environment, and Energy.
- Lawmakers in Colorado are calling for increased regulation in the state’s funeral industry after Fremont County investigators found 115 decaying improperly stored bodies in a Penrose funeral home. Under current laws, the state of Colorado may not have the authority to levy any sort of prosecution, as funeral directors and practitioners do not require licensure in the state.
- Ghana’s Registrar of the National Teaching Council recently expressed concern that the country is losing its experienced teachers because many are applying to work in the U.K. According to the registrar, by mid-2023, roughly 10,000 applicants with Ghana Teacher Licenses had been certified to work in the U.K. without any additional assessment by the U.K. government. He is now calling on the government to make policy that will help retain experienced teachers.
- The U.K.’s National Council of Architectural Registration Boards has released new guidelines for licensed architects from the U.S. to obtain work authorizations in the country. Thanks to a four-year research and negotiation process that determined the two countries’ licensing standards are compatible, a new agreement allows registered architects in each country to obtain reciprocal licensure and pursue contracts in the other.
Also noteworthy:
Interesting opinion, commentary, and analysis from the web:
- Issue brief: State approaches to universal licensing recognition (America First Policy Institute)
- Understanding the pitfalls of a Defense Health Agency (DHA) investigation (Mondaq)
- E-government in Estonia and what we could learn from them (IT World Canada)
- She beat addiction and earned a master’s in social work to help others. A stealth Texas law said no (Houston Chronicle)
- Labor commissioner: Removing licensing requirements in Oklahoma is not a prudent idea (The Oklahoman)
Disclaimer: The thoughts, opinions, and commentary of the articles we share links to in Week in Brief do not necessarily reflect those of Ascend Magazine or Thentia.
IN BRIEF
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