Committee hears ITS pitch for firewall upgrades, consolidation costs and a new AI data repository

The Joint Finance Committee heard on‑the‑record presentations Monday on the Office of Information Technology Services’ roughly $50–55 million budget, with administrators seeking funding to replace aging firewall hardware and to absorb staff and operations moved from other agencies.

Christopher LaHozant, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee the agency’s consolidation timeline will bring 58 employees from the Department of Health and Welfare into ITS and that those personnel changes have driven both one‑time and ongoing costs. LaHozant said ITS currently shows 243 authorized full‑time positions and reported six vacancies as of November.

Why it matters: ITS is a central provider of cybersecurity and shared IT services for many state agencies. Lawmakers pressed the agency and analysts about whether dedicated‑fund cash flow supports the requested appropriation and whether short‑term general‑fund remedies will be needed to smooth the timing of pass‑through…