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State CIO outlines House Bill 10 IT projects including corrections surveillance, warehouse systems and courthouse Wi‑Fi
Summary
State Chief Information Officer Kevin Gilbertson presented House Bill 10 requests to the joint subcommittees, saying the bill funds cybersecurity, corrections surveillance upgrades, a DOC warehouse/production management replacement and courthouse Wi‑Fi and e‑filing improvements.
Kevin Gilbertson, Montana’s chief information officer, told the joint subcommittees that House Bill 10 includes a suite of long‑range information‑technology requests intended to improve cybersecurity, digital service delivery and operational systems across state government.
Gilbertson said HB 10 projects aim to reduce cyber risk, improve citizen digital experience and standardize systems that agencies now run on different platforms. He highlighted corrections requests for “comprehensive safety and surveillance improvements,” including body‑worn cameras and upgraded facility camera systems, and a separate DOC request to replace an inmate‑built warehouse and production database with an integrated billing, inventory and production‑management solution.
The judicial branch requested e‑filing improvements and a state courthouse Wi‑Fi implementation so state employees working in district courthouses can access state secure networks in public courthouse spaces. Ryan Davies of the judicial branch described the e‑filing platform as integrated with the Full Court case management system; Brett Shandelson (state IT representative) explained that prior judicial AV work installed wired courtroom audio/video systems but did not extend Wi‑Fi into public hallways and galleries. Shandelson said implementing state secure Wi‑Fi in county‑owned courthouse buildings requires county cooperation and ITSD implementation and that the primary focus would be on district courthouses housing state courts.
Members asked about procurement and whether the state would buy or build systems. Gilbertson said statute and policy push the state toward commercial off‑the‑shelf solutions, with limited customizations; that approach lowers long‑term technical debt though it can increase recurring vendor costs. Senator Morozho and other members asked for clarity on what tasks would be contracted versus retained in‑house for long‑term maintenance; Gilbertson said the CIO’s office would provide more detail in follow‑up materials.
Committee members asked for itemized procurement and a clearer split between capital and ongoing operational costs; Gilbertson said HB 10 submissions aim to purchase vendor solutions and that maintenance and staffing implications vary by project. The committee did not vote on any HB 10 items at the hearing.
