Fighting fraud, saving time, cutting costs: Governor Newsom’s efficiency strategies are improving state government

Last year, the Governor signed an executive order directing every state agency to engage the entire state workforce in efforts to identify and implement novel efficiency measures. The order also created a new Governor’s Innovation Fellows Program, state staff with a mission of collaborating to address unique statewide challenges through innovative ideas. Breakthrough Members continue to work with the Governor to support the Innovation Fellows and the Office of Data and Innovation in making California better for everyone.

Here are a few of the most recent announcements: 

#1 – Detecting benefits fraud

In January 2024, thieves were stealing $13 million a month in CalWORKs benefits from Californians. The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) developed a sophisticated machine- learning model that contributed to an 83% reduction in EBT theft in just one year. The model developed by ODI automatically and correctly finds theft 82% of the time. With the help of the model, CDSS reduced CalWORKs cash theft by 77%, preventing countless families from being taken advantage of.
 

#2 – Building affordable housing faster

Expanding upon Governor Gavin Newsom’s Excess Sites Executive Order for affordable housing development, the Department of General Services and Department of Housing and Community Development have now developed a process to fast-track projects from application to approval in less than five months.  As a result, California is building affordable housing faster. 
 

#3 – Streamlining state procurement

The Department of General Services has made it easier than ever for vendors to join the Software Licensing Program, which allows state departments to cut lengthy, formal bidding processes, and instead purchase from pre-negotiated agreements.

They also doubled departments’ authorities to make agreements with each other to $2 million, speeding up inter-government collaboration.

#4 – Modernizing operations

The Structural Pest Control Board just replaced an old, expensive system reaching the end of its life. The new Wood Destroying Organism Reporting System makes it easier for businesses to report their work combating organisms that damage wood structures, such as termites and beetles. People can also use these public records to make decisions about properties.
 

Leading in government efficiency 

Governor Newsom has made efficiency a top priority since the start of his Administration. In 2019, the Governor established the Office of Data and Innovation, a group of technology experts dedicated to supporting other state agencies, departments, and employees to utilize data, technology, and principles of human-centered design common in the private sector to improve the delivery of services to Californians. 

By prioritizing efficiency and innovation — with appropriate safeguards to protect privacy, safety, and civil liberties — Governor Newsom has:

• Overhauled and modernized the Department of Motor Vehicles to reduce wait times, expand online services, and improve customer service.
• Implemented new cutting-edge technologies to fight wildfires, including cameras across the state and data modeling to predict where wildfires might occur, deployment of drones, and improved incident reporting.
• Issued an executive order directing state agencies to implement Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into state government operations and help support the work of front-line employees.
• Expedited the state’s procurement process through an innovative Request for Innovative Ideas (RFI2), which allows state agencies to quickly test technology through safe and secure environments. Through this expedited process, California has already announced three important contracts, using GenAI to reduce highway congestion, improve traffic safety, and enhance customer service. 
• Signed an executive order directing every state agency to engage the entire state workforce in efforts to identify and implement novel efficiency measures. The order also created a new Governor’s Innovation Fellows Program, state staff with a mission of collaborating to address unique statewide challenges through innovative ideas. 

Improving government services through engagement

Earlier this year, Governor Newsom launched the first-of-its-kind digital platform that empowers Californians to use a virtual town hall setting to engage and share insights about a particular topic. The pilot project involved people impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. They aligned on a rebuilding and recovery process through a six-month conversation with 2,500 comments from Californians. 

The platform was then used to help garner feedback from state employees to improve government operations. Over a 10-week engagement, more than 1,400 California state employees shared more than 2,600 ideas on how to make government more efficient. 

State employees came prepared with concrete solutions, and some of those ideas are already being put into practice: from process improvement and workforce retention to technology modernization and management culture.

California will continue to use this cutting-edge tool to help ensure that Californians remain engaged and their voices prominent as the state continues to build efficiency, effectiveness, and additional value for state residents.