A new law in New Jersey to codify the state’s innovation office is now in effect, making it the first state cabinet digital delivery team to be made permanent in the nation.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this month signed a law that establishes the New Jersey Innovation Authority (NJIA), which makes the New Jersey Office of Innovation (OOI) an official entity within the state’s treasury department.
The NJIA will consist of a 13-member Board of Directors appointed by the governor. The board will include ex-officio members and members of the public with knowledge and expertise in data science, public engagement, the development and implementation of digital technologies and digital product development, or the digital delivery of products, services or benefits.
OOI highlighted several achievements in its recent annual impact report, including:
- Helping more than 65,000 entrepreneurs launch their businesses more quickly through Business.NJ.Gov, boosting the economy by an estimated $167 million in 2024 alone;
- Modernizing more than a dozen state call centers to help millions of residents get their questions answered in a timely manner, reducing wait times, and saving New Jersey millions of dollars in operational costs;
- Using data science to enroll 100,000 additional children in the Summer EBT Program that connects vulnerable students with nutritious food;
- Reducing the average time to apply for Unemployment Insurance by more than three hours using a redesigned online application process that resulted in a 40% increase in positive site feedback.
- Harnessing emerging technologies, including AI, to modernize state operations and deliver benefits and services more quickly and efficiently to New Jerseyans.
Photo by Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
