{"id":80068,"date":"2026-04-18T10:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T17:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=80068"},"modified":"2026-04-18T10:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T17:39:10","slug":"heres-six-new-ways-california-is-modernizing-state-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=80068","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s six new ways California is modernizing state government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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What you need to know:\u00a0<\/strong>California is making the state government more efficient, effective, and engaged \u2013 with new programs, services, and strategies to better serve Californians. Learn more at\u00a0results.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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SACRAMENTO \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0Delivering on Governor Newsom\u2019s strategies to make California government more efficient, engaged, and effective, California agencies continue to announce new initiatives, programs and improvements that are delivering real results and making Californians\u2019 lives better.\u00a0 Today, California is highlighting recent work including: fighting tax fraud, protecting Californian\u2019s identities, building data tools to improve water monitoring, and making college more affordable while also protecting college students.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Golden State doesn\u2019t just lead, we set the pace for the nation by embracing innovation, strategically deploying technology,\u00a0 and delivering real results. From using smarter data to strengthen programs to eliminating lines and cutting wait times at the DMV, we\u2019re proving that our state government can be faster, more efficient, and more responsive, designed to work better for you.\u201d<\/h4>\n
Governor Gavin Newsom<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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#1 \u2013 Reducing wait times and lines at the DMV<\/strong><\/h2>\n

California is rolling out new digital tools at the DMV to streamline the customer experience. This Virtual Intake Process (VIP) is designed to\u00a0reduce customer wait times<\/a>, minimize congestion inside offices and ensure consistent service delivery statewide.\u00a0This new feature is an addition to the online self-check-in option the DMV launched in 2021, which has\u00a0reduced wait times\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0raised customer satisfaction from 2.5\/5 in 2018 to 4.1\/5 by 2025.<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

#2 – Stopping tax fraud with state-the-art technology\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has stopped over $6 billion in tax fraud in the\u00a0last 8 years<\/a>. Their improved threat detection catches improper refunds before they\u2019re issued. In 2024-25 alone, FTB thwarted $579 million in improper refunds. They\u2019re also helping taxpayers avoid being scammed. Guides on FTB\u2019s website help taxpayers identify scams, protect their information, and file securely. FTB\u2019s fraud prevention and detection team is responsible for identifying and preventing fraud involving improper claims for refundable credits, erroneous refundable payments, and tax-related identity theft.<\/p>\n

#3 – Creating more efficient water monitoring tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The California Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) built an\u00a0open-source tool<\/a>\u00a0to help the Department of Water Resources catch and fix errors in environmental monitoring data such as faulty water temperature or snow depth readings from remote sensors. The tool uses statistical tests and machine learning to quickly flag bad data, saving hundreds of hours of staff time across 21 units within the department. The result is cleaner, more reliable data that benefits 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland, and supports critical decisions around flood management and water quality. Over 2 million people query the connected California Data Exchange Center during flood season alone. The whole project was completed in just 6 months.<\/p>\n

#4 – Connecting students with unclaimed scholarships\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

CalKIDS is a statewide automatic scholarship program. Over 40,000 community college students were missing out on this money. California built a report to\u00a0find people who hadn\u2019t claimed their scholarship<\/a>. Community colleges are now reaching out to these students. Collectively, they’re eligible for $20 million in scholarships. It’s thanks to a partnership between the ScholarShare Investment Board, California Community Colleges Chancellor\u2019s Office, and the California Cradle-to-Career Data System.<\/p>\n

#5 – Making private higher-ed data more transparent to protect students<\/strong><\/h2>\n

ODI and the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)\u00a0built a tool<\/a>\u00a0to analyze private college and trade school data more efficiently. It finds and ranks risk factors so BPPE can monitor institutions as data comes in. The tool processed over 7,500 reports in 80 seconds in one data set, saving immeasurable staff time. They can focus on enforcement instead of manually processing data. This helps BPPE protect students from fraudulent institutional practices.<\/p>\n

#6 \u2013 Shielding Californians from identity theft\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The DMV is using the latest digital technology to\u00a0fight identity fraud<\/a>. They now issue drivers licenses and IDs with barcodes to prevent fraud. Businesses can use card readers to easily confirm if they\u2019re authentic. This stops identity theft and guards Californians’ personal info.\u00a0It is one of many tools that help the\u00a0Golden State fight fraud.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Leading in government efficiency\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Governor Newsom has made efficiency and improving state services a top priority since the start of his Administration. In 2019, the Governor established ODI, a group of technology experts dedicated to supporting other state agencies, departments, and employees to utilize data, technology, and principles of human-centered design common in the private sector to improve the delivery of services to Californians.<\/p>\n

Prioritizing efficiency and innovation \u2014 with appropriate safeguards protecting privacy, safety, and civil liberties \u2014 Governor Newsom has:<\/p>\n