A day after her administration unveiled $375 million in budget cuts, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday announced more than $1 billion in IT capital investments for the executive branch over a five-year period.
The legislation Healey is filing, dubbed the FutureTech Act, is meant to keep "large, transformative" IT projects on track once the existing bond authorization for the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security is "completely exhausted" in fiscal 2025, the governor's office said.
The $1.23 billion authorization plan, spanning fiscal years 2025 through 2029, would support integrated constituent services and cybersecurity projects, while also funding investments in artificial intelligence technology.
"This authorization simultaneously keeps our IT assets current and allows us to plan for our long-term cyber resilience strategy, while continuing to innovate in our business and constituent-facing applications," EOTTS Secretary Jason Snyder said in a statement.
Another $400 million authorization included in the bill would enable the stand to spend federal dollars for "major" Health and Human Services initiatives, according to Healey's office.
