State IT agencies play an expanding role in coordinating cybersecurity policy all the way down to the lowest levels of government, speakers said at a National Governors Association conference.

The state's CTO says the three areas of focus will enable a dramatic shift in how the state delivers its IT services.

Legislation signed by the governor gives the North Dakota Information Technology Department the broadest security directive of any state IT office.

In a highly-connected rural state, North Dakota's top IT officials are trying to usher in policies that could change how state government thinks about security.

Dorman Bazzell, who spent 30 years in the private sector, will oversee the state's enterprise information management and software development programs.

If the $12 million request is fulfilled, it would more than quadruple the size of the technology agency's cybersecurity team.

State CIO Shawn Riley says a new partnership with a national educational resources program is how his state will "lead the way" as states seek to attract and retain top IT talent.

"There's nothing more friendly than a chat window," one member of the winning team told StateScoop.

Leaders from Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Virginia will head to Chicago in October to compare notes on statewide connected technology programs.