Pennsylvania state tech officials praise governor’s proposal to boost cyber, permit modernization

Pennsylvania tech officials on Tuesday lauded Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposal, which includes calls for directing millions of dollars to cybersecurity and permitting modernization projects.

The proposal, which his office unveiled last month, calls for an additional $10 million for cybersecurity and $3.7 million for the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience, or CODE PA, to update permitting processes with the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The state’s Office of Administration, which is currently “pursuing a multi-year cybersecurity modernization strategy” to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, has previously used budget allocations to enhance real-time detection capabilities, accelerate response times and threat monitoring for state-owned networks and applications. The additional $10 million would help protect critical systems and services.

The $3.7 million allocation for CODE PA to modernize permitting in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection, which handles permits for air, water and land resources, comes nearly two years after the project was identified as a priority for the office.

The state claimed on Tuesday that CODE PA has saved a total of more than $10 million since its formation in 2023, by using in-house staff and technology instead of contracting with vendors for modernization projects. And under the Shapiro administration, the state’s Office of Administration — which houses the CIO’s office and CODE PA — has collectively saved Pennsylvania more than $37 million on IT spending, through its modernization efforts and financial management.

The state’s chief information officer and former CODE PA executive director, Bry Pardoe, said in a news release that the new IT spending couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.  

 “Cybersecurity is foundational to everything we do in information technology to deliver reliable digital services and maintain public trust,” Pardoe said. “As more services move online, our responsibility to protect sensitive information and critical systems only grows. We must continually evaluate what we’re doing, strengthen our defenses, and evolve to ensure the services people rely on are secure, resilient, and available.”