Concourse

Kansas

IT Status Report & Strategic Plan

February 23, 2026 · Version 2.0

Executive Summary

Governor

Laura Kelly (D)

CIO

Jeff Maxon (Chief Information Technology Officer)

CISO

Executive Branch CISO (Established via SB 291)

IT Organization

Office of Information Technology Services (OITS)

State Agencies

55

Population

2.9M

✓ Key Strengths

  • SB 291 (2024) establishes comprehensive IT consolidation and cybersecurity framework with mandated CISO positions across all three branches of government, .gov domain migration, and NIST CSF 2.0 tier targets (3.0 by 2028, 4.0 by 2030)
  • Strategic partnership with Gartner Consulting to conduct Target State Assessment for IT integration across all executive branch agencies -- providing industry-validated roadmap for consolidation through October 2025
  • BEAD broadband program secured $166.6M federal approval (December 2025) targeting 26,673 locations with fiber-dominant approach and $43M Freestate Middle Mile Network providing backbone infrastructure
  • 3-Year IT Plan framework (486 IT strategy actions) with Joint Committee on Information Technology oversight provides transparent governance, project tracking, and legislative accountability for technology investments

⚠ Key Risks

  • Child Support Services re-platforming project is 13 months behind schedule with $1M cost overrun ($12.7M vs. $11.7M planned) due to data conversion complexities and federal de-identification mandates -- directly impacts 131,000 children and families
  • IT integration under SB 291 must navigate complex multi-branch coordination (executive, judicial, legislative) with different governance structures, timelines, and technology maturity levels
  • Kansas courts suffered a significant ransomware attack in October 2023 that disrupted judicial operations -- demonstrating cybersecurity vulnerabilities that SB 291 aims to address but full remediation remains ongoing
  • Multiple legacy system modernization projects simultaneously in 'alert' status (Child Support, KDHE, PSU Student Management) create resource competition and risk of cascading delays across the IT portfolio

Capability Areas

Capability Radar

Cybersecurity & …AI & AutomationDigital Governme…Data Management …Workforce & TalentCloud ServicesBroadband & Conn…IT Procurement &…Interoperability…Legacy Moderniza…
Kansas

Current IT Projects

ProjectStatusDescriptionTimeline
SB 291 IT Integration AssessmentIn ProgressComprehensive IT integration assessment under Senate Bill 291 in partnership with Gartner Consulting. Evaluating current IT infrastructure across all executive branch agencies to develop integration plan for potential 2026 implementation. Includes Target State Assessment and cross-branch coordination.2024-2026
BEAD Broadband DeploymentApproved$166.6M federal broadband program targeting 26,673 eligible locations across Kansas. Approved by NTIA December 2025 with fiber-dominant approach (75% fiber, 25% non-fiber). Complemented by $43M Freestate Middle Mile Network providing backbone infrastructure.2026-2030
Child Support Services Re-PlatformingIn Progress (Alert)$12.7M migration of mainframe-based Child Support Services System to Microsoft .NET/SQL Server architecture on Azure Cloud. Partnership with Conduent. Currently 13 months behind schedule with $1M cost overrun due to data conversion and federal de-identification mandates. Impacts 131,000 children.2023-2026 (delayed)
KDHE Early Childhood Data IntegrationIn Progress$5M project replacing the outdated Child Care Licensing and Regulation Information System (CLARIS) with modern data integration platform. Enhancing data sharing between child care, health, and early childhood programs. Currently at 50% milestone completion.2023-2026
Cybersecurity Framework Enhancement (SB 291)In ProgressImplementing SB 291 cybersecurity mandates including establishing CISO positions across all three branches, mandatory annual training, NIST CSF 2.0 compliance targets, and .gov domain migration for all state agency websites.2024-2030 (tier targets)
Freestate Middle Mile NetworkIn Progress$43M NTIA-funded middle mile broadband initiative building 2,500-mile fiber backbone network across rural Kansas. Provides fiber leasing opportunities for local ISPs and supports public safety and transportation systems. Groundbreaking June 2025.2025-2028

100-Day Strategic Plan

Quick-win initiatives for immediate impact

200-Day Strategic Plan

Strategic initiatives for sustained transformation

Sources

  1. Kansas Office of Information Technology Services (OITS) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  2. SB 291: IT Integration and Cybersecurity Services Act (accessed 2026-02-23)
  3. Kansas IT Integration Project (SB 291 with Gartner) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  4. Kansas 3-Year IT Plan Updates (accessed 2026-02-23)
  5. OITS Budget Narrative FY 2025-2026 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  6. Kansas Broadband: BEAD $166.6M Final Proposal Approved (accessed 2026-02-23)
  7. Governor Kelly: Kansas BEAD Final Proposal Approved by NTIA (accessed 2026-02-23)
  8. Kansas $43M Middle Mile Broadband Initiative Announcement (accessed 2026-02-23)
  9. Joint Committee on IT: Project Status Reports (2025) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  10. Kansas DCF Selects Conduent for Child Support System Upgrade (accessed 2026-02-23)
  11. KDHE Early Childhood Data Integration Project Update (accessed 2026-02-23)
  12. GovTech: Kansas Courts Advance IT Work After Cyber Attack Recovery (accessed 2026-02-23)
  13. Kansas CISO Statute (KSA 75-7238) (accessed 2026-02-23)
  14. Kansas Digital Government Summit 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  15. Kansas Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit 2025 (accessed 2026-02-23)
  16. Kansas Office of Broadband Development - BEAD Program (accessed 2026-02-23)
  17. NASCIO 2026 State CIO Top 10 Priorities (accessed 2026-02-23)