NASCIO picks finalists for 2026 State IT Recognition Awards
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers announced the finalists for the 2026 State IT Recognition Awards on Monday.
NASCIO said the IT awards program honors technology innovation and excellence in state government. The organization for state CIOs added that the submissions it received showcased a variety of uses for “technology to address critical business problems, more easily connect citizens to their government, improve business processes and create new opportunities that improve the lives of citizens.”
Similar to last year’s batch of State IT Recognition awards, NASCIO selected 31 finalists for 2026. The association said it received nearly 140 submissions from member states and territories, and over 55 NASCIO members served as volunteer judges of the submissions. The categories this year included artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, enterprise technology management and operational efficiency.
The recipients will be announced at the awards and recognition dinner at the NASCIO 2026 Annual Conference in San Diego at the end of the month.
Artificial Intelligence
State of California: From Hours to Minutes: Generative AI for California’s Transportation Network
State of Indiana: Returning Time to Citizens – Ask Indiana: A Generative Chatbot
State of Missouri: The 35.5x Catalyst: Modernizing Missouri’s Agricultural Grant Review with Responsible AI
Cross-Boundary Collaboration
State of Connecticut: Clean Slate: Connecticut’s Data Driven Justice Reform Changes Lives
State of Florida: AHCA’s Background Screening & Department of Education Integration
State of Texas: Connecting Registries. Protecting People. Search Engine for Multi Agency Reportable Conduct (SEMARC)
Cybersecurity
State of Kansas: Kansas Information Security Office
State of Michigan: Securing Michiganders via MiLogin: Free Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Program
State of Ohio: Transforming State Cybersecurity Operations
Data Management, Analytics & Visualization
Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Massachusetts Data Product Studio
State of Ohio: Powered by Collaboration: Ohio’s Path to Enterprise Data Management, Governance and Innovation
State of Utah: Customer Experience: A Feedback Engine Capturing the Pulse of the State Government
Digital Experience: Agency/Program Solutions
State of Colorado: Colorado Energy Savings Navigator
State of Minnesota: Minnesota Paid Leave: A Digital Service for Life’s Most Important Moments
State of Utah: Modernizing International Document Authentication for the Digital Age
Digital Experience: Enterprise Solutions
State of Oregon: ORION (Oregon Routing Information Online)
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: Simplifying Transportation Services Through Citizen-Centered Digital Innovation
State of Texas: Children Are My Priority (ChAMP): The Modernization Texas Families Never Felt
State of Utah: MyUtah – Where You and Utah Connect
Enterprise Technology Management
State of Hawaii: AI-Powered IT Spend Request Assessment: Bringing Consistency, Speed and Data-Driven Rigor to Government IT Investment Decisions
State of Minnesota: Future-proofing Minnesota’s Technology with CloudRAMP
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Contact Center Modernization
Information & Communications Technology
State of Illinois: The Power of Touch: Modernizing Safety for Blind Students
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: PA.gov: Creating a Cohesive Digital Experience Through Content Optimization
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: ALERTS Portal – When Every Second Matters, Information Saves Lives
Operational Efficiency
State of Indiana: Indiana Observability Program: Data Driven Insights & Resilience
State of Minnesota: Direct Admissions Platform Spells Success for Minnesota High School Seniors
State of Ohio: Driving Operational Excellence: How AI Accelerated Statewide Cloud Modernization
State CIO Office Special Recognition
State of California: DROP: Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform
State of Minnesota: The Engine of Modernization: Minnesota’s Technology Modernization Fund
State of Utah: Utah’s State-Endorsed Digital Identity: Preserving Rights in a Digital Age
