Hello, TAGITM! I hope everyone has had a great start to the year. It is hard to believe, but the 2021 Annual Conference is only two months away. This year, we are planning to move back to an in-person format for our event. While we understand there are still agencies under travel or budget restrictions, we hope that everyone that can attend will join us in Austin. We are going to make every effort to be safe and keep our attendees healthy while at the conference. There is already an agenda planned with some of the best educational sessions we have ever had. It is sure to be one of our best conferences yet! 

We’re doing this, folks! Back in September it was decided we would begin moving in the direction of having an in-person conference. The status, probability, and overlying vibe in respective parts of the state with respect to the pandemic versus the in-person event was discussed early and often. The board was ready to pivot quickly if need be. Late in 2020, surveys went out to gauge where member organizations were at with organizational restrictions and budgets for travel. Lo and behold, here we are. It’s go time, people!

Your TAGITM Cybersecurity Committee (TAGITM C²) has been diligently developing a mission statement and lining up excellent presentations for March and April.

CSO
Privacy and security regulations are constantly evolving. An effective approach to data protection controls will embrace ethical standards and anticipate new requirements.

Tampa Bay Times via GovTech
Federal agencies published an advisory that offered new insights on how an attacker might have accessed a system that allowed them to potentially contaminate a city’s water supply.

CIO
IT departments have more responsibilities in the wake of the pandemic, but often not the budget increase to support them. Here are tips on trimming costs in response to strategic shifts.

GovLoop
Drawing from nearly 25 years of experience, Shane McDaniel compares how the varying levels of government go about implementing technology.