[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6545295,"mediaKeyId","3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb","parentId",3789377,"title","Council committee presses OCTO on $165.7 million FY26 proposal, public‑safety cameras and federal broadband funding","audioSeconds",5311,"startMs",1935000,"endMs",7246000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb&start=1935&end=7246","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb/thumbnail_1935000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6545295/Council-committee-presses-OCTO-on-1657-million-FY26-proposal-publicsafety-cameras-and-federal-broadband-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545295-2408585026e81eef78e953aa368c423d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443420&Signature=afP8ZZVCozsfBOIyBiA6dKAf6tcpajxcUJonL56QylKPmXCZ0cN0Lj0kugLPCc3qTGo3VBDeBTJpFg7E63VArDRJ~sMWOw1aM2xfL2KKw7KapCtJVwoUVoKene9ZB~gHKqKuvTd3yh4K3I4ztAdNQ6TYHxbR7vQSwzAyLdgjYsyHzdAKAJXCbAfL8KFDdWt2CgXgc-4V~-iWT2aA-LsZd8tymfEA84zJM7JmD3CJUVnXHuyCPO75KL74i70H~z3HHrAJZRsNg6hwWktSrJjcwTcf9eFqTd9MUrj2974O71C4gSE-CgJdWrkgz4XnRzd8Wy80jCgO-H6n9PJnVP1b0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Public Works and Operations)","date","2025-06-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Public Works and Operations heard testimony June 12 on Mayor Muriel Bowser's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO). Stephen Miller, OCTO chief technology officer, said the proposal includes an operating request of $165,728,818 and a capital request of $15,941,638.

Miller told the committee the proposal relies heavily on federal and special‑purpose revenue: \"The proposed budget for OCTO includes $93,000,000 in local funds, $27,000,000 in special purpose funds, $46,000,000 in federal funds, and $16,000,000 in capital funds,\" he said. He also described a $3.7 million local enhancement to begin a multi‑year modernization of government camera systems and said some SPR increases align with new federal customers coming on to DC Net.

Why this matters: the committee pressed OCTO for detail on projects that affect public safety, resident services and the district's use of federal broadband dollars. Council members sought clarity on timelines, security, and how grants such as BEAD will be spent given recent federal guidance and mapping changes.

OCTO's priorities and projects
OCTO's testimony and budget documents identify several major projects: a multi‑year public‑safety camera modernization that begins in FY26 with an initial tranche of about 2,000 cloud‑based cameras and is planned to reach roughly 6,000 across government facilities by FY28; a Microsoft Azure‑based Cloud Data Exchange to migrate APIs and integrations and create an API marketplace; continued development of the MyOutOfSchoolTime (MOST DC) portal; a $4.5 million allocation for digital services modernization (dc.gov redesign and resident portals); and expanded cybersecurity investments.

On cameras, Miller said the FY26 enhancement will fund an initial 2,000 smart, cloud‑based cameras covering DGS sites, DC Public Schools and other city locations, with agency partners to prioritize installations in higher‑crime areas. He said the multi‑year rollout aims to unify a fragmented camera estate and to create roughly $2.1 million in cost savings compared with current systems. When pressed about security and network protection, Miller said the cameras will run on the city's secure fiber network and will be managed under a centralized governance model to ensure consistent security controls.

Federal broadband funding and BEAD
Miller said about $44.2 million of OCTO's federal request is tied to the Federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, but added that NTIA issued a 90‑day extension and additional guidance in early June. \"We cannot provide further updates on the BEAD program at this time,\" he said, while encouraging subgrantee applicants to be prepared to resubmit when OCTO resumes its competitive process. He also said OCTO and eligible entities are awaiting updated FCC fabric maps required for final planning.

Service delivery, portals and enterprise tooling
Miller described a $5.7 million request for improvements to OCTO's service‑delivery platform and a separate capital allocation to support ServiceNow licensing, HR employee portal functionality, an asset management/CMDB effort, and a secure file transfer capability. He said the MOST DC portal—built with Microsoft Power Platform and Esri GIS—has seen early adoption since its DCPS registration window opened May 21, and OCTO plans additional agency onboarding and parent‑facing improvements in FY26.

Cybersecurity, AI and the Budget Support Act
Miller emphasized continued cybersecurity funding and said the Budget Support Act (BSA) subtitle on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence will \"refine and clarify the scope of OCTO's authority.\" He said the language aims to strengthen centralized enterprise IT governance for security and to clarify that AI governance belongs within IT oversight. Miller described ongoing work to implement single sign‑on, multi‑factor authentication and AI governance services for agencies and said OCTO provides AI review and trainings under the mayor's February 2024 AI order.

Committee concerns and next steps
Committee members pressed OCTO on BEAD timelines, on how SPR funds align with federal customer contracts for DC Net, and on concrete milestones for the dc.gov redesign (Miller said content auditing is about 25% complete and a homepage launch is expected within three to six months of the fiscal year start). On camera privacy and security, Miller said the project will include centralized policies and layered network protections.

Miller closed by arguing the investments will modernize city services: \"With these investments, we will continue to unleash the possible and propel district residents and businesses safely into the future with technology,\" he said.

Looking forward: the committee asked OCTO for written detail on BEAD planning, DC Net contracts with federal customers, and the security and governance plan for the camera program. The OCTO portion of the hearing concluded before the committee moved to the Office of Risk Management.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Public Works and Operations) - Committee on Public Works & Operations, Budget Oversight Hearing, Brianne Nadeau, Chairperson - Jun 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Public Works and Operations questioned the Office of the Chief Technology Officer on Mayor Bowser's proposed FY26 GrowDC budget, pressing for detail on a new public‑safety camera rollout, federal BEAD program funds and cybersecurity and AI governance.","taxTitle","Committee on Public Works and Operations, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",15951,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6545283,"Witness urges pilot of intelligent speed assistance on city fleet; ORM working on pilots with CFSA and other agencies",8839,1313000,10152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb&start=1313&end=10152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb/thumbnail_1313000.jpg","/articles/6545283/Witness-urges-pilot-of-intelligent-speed-assistance-on-city-fleet-ORM-working-on-pilots-with-CFSA-and-other-agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545283-3ea0711fa05b865bfbf30ed7c82c7994/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443420&Signature=IGc6Q2FeiZJLlnsjO8Fe9NGyggJBWLkTsH8UN9YotzDb5oqKus93~JE1g4wxM-Y0Tkn44yWJXWC~trKF2iFiB~eFnxj6xYoqwBZ5eny-sC576a5EQ0eOCSR5ysN23SQUibJtNJwr~9Csiqx0x0zKV3iFJSB~YeXe2j-2rYFJORbQ0OCPelTTKJOXEMg9FsezZDBNvebOPzZddCQyOaqF~WJlBg8-AZsUtl-JFq3u6lC3PpUXs0hcN29t4vrZdpoyjJtlVcFLfPpC1I~cDmdWwRqR7PEni9Fi-PDMj3XB~ynjXQMITDeU4cNiPksSNNOhDCCQqJqINGryUZLPLD828w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A public witness recommended the District pilot so‑called speed limiters or intelligent speed assistance devices on government fleet vehicles to reduce crashes, hard braking incidents and liability costs.

Santiago Lakatos, testifying during the ORM portion of the hearing, recommended a pilot focused on the Department of Public Works vehicle fleet or any fleet managed by DPW. He pointed to a New York City pilot of roughly 50 vehicles with an approximate cost of $80,000 and said the trial showed vehicles \"traveled within the speed limit parameters 99% of the time\" and recorded a 36% reduction in hard‑braking events. He argued such devices \"would more than pay for themselves\" through reduced claims and maintenance costs.

Lakatos said the devices generally allow an override for emergency needs and suggested the program be piloted before larger deployment; he acknowledged DPW manages fleet but said ORM handles liability considerations. He also cited ORM's FY24 payouts in support of the cost‑saving case.

ORM confirmed testing and pilots are moving forward. Jed Ross, ORM director, told the committee that the agency is preparing an intelligent speed assistance pilot \"at the end of the month\" that will include ORM and the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), and noted Department for Hire Vehicles already uses related telematics; the pilot will examine GPS‑based speed enforcement, video telematics and other tools to inform future decisions.

Why this matters: proponents say speed‑limiting technologies reduce risky driving behavior and can lower accident and liability costs; the committee requested follow‑up data on claims tied to fleet incidents and pilot results as part of ORM's work plan.

","A witness proposed a pilot to install speed limiters/intelligent speed assistance on District fleet vehicles to reduce crashes and claims; the Office of Risk Management said pilots are planned and noted existing trials with other agencies.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6545287,"Domestic‑violence advocate urges OCTO investments to speed access to protection orders and benefits",833,2192000,3025000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb&start=2192&end=3025","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb/thumbnail_2192000.jpg","/articles/6545287/Domesticviolence-advocate-urges-OCTO-investments-to-speed-access-to-protection-orders-and-benefits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545287-067a65030f50c6bd94a645de47a46c3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443420&Signature=lWUe4fpTZP5W8itS1y6siOePT8AdKzdjn~1bmguikd6TDxUlP3g4MTCF9VJePSe0~qdhTfb9zYeFsjAoPMm1cXKgcYSSjR2qg3PrkWvvfGUtDBPCUwgyeptbpByf10EXyNWaGCi6rnRBbSexgR9M7aEzKHLC~2Bf5aXgmAYagAvXLczo8H9naNFVUH6nWmEpBLAbCNrb71GoCcpqaP08wcX4q9XEXJHyK-yJFhy43FZ25QNuBzyoR0Afk~ujv7eQkc7XOEyGHtwCcHbqsBj5bT9knErhl6tZUnu5~za8vXCg33AxEDIN8c0tEvr2z6UkD-bYcwMcyxWIXszon62zkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kylie Hogan, director of systems advocacy at DC Safe, told the Committee on Public Works and Operations that survivors of domestic violence and first responders are hindered by fragmented government databases and difficult interfaces.

Hogan said DC Safe is the only 24/7 crisis intervention agency for domestic violence in the city and that the group served more than 12,000 clients last year. She said the nonprofit partners with roughly 14 agencies that rely on databases developed or maintained by OCTO, including the Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Human Services, and that the patchwork of systems often requires officers and survivors to jump between records in time‑sensitive situations.

\"District residents, survivors of domestic violence, and other victims of crime can experience this in ways that compromise their immediate safety and hinder their path to stability,\" Hogan said. She told the committee officers sometimes cannot quickly determine whether an order of protection has been served or whether a stay‑away order is still in effect because data fields and user interfaces are inconsistent; in some cases an expiration field shows a placeholder date such as \"02/1999,\" producing confusion during calls for service.

Hogan suggested OCTO and partner agencies explore streamlined tools that surface critical case information to first responders and cited examples in other jurisdictions. She said Virginia judges have used a system called VineLink to upload returns of service; the system allows petitioners to receive notifications and quickly view service records. \"We like that for two reasons: you can look it up, it's really easy, and petitioners get a really quick notification that this has been served,\" Hogan said.

Hogan also described enrollment and case‑management problems at DHS, saying her organization hears repeated reports that families must re‑submit paperwork or have difficulty enrolling infants in benefits because case systems do not reliably transfer or validate information. She urged the committee to consider modest investments in user‑friendly technology and cross‑agency data integrations to reduce delays, improve safety and save staff time.

Hogan emphasized her testimony was not an indictment of OCTO staff, whom she described as \"courteous, helpful, knowledgeable, and timely,\" but said the system design and user interfaces could be improved to serve survivors and first responders better.

","Kylie Hogan of DC Safe told the committee that fragmented government databases slow first responders and survivors, urging OCTO to invest in user‑friendly tools and streamlined data access; she cited VineLink as an example for returns of service notifications.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6545291,"Risk office defends FY26 budgets as council questions proposed liability caps in BSA subtitle",3160,7232000,10392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb&start=7232&end=10392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789377-60dad66cc1760da863386362968383eb/thumbnail_7232000.jpg","/articles/6545291/Risk-office-defends-FY26-budgets-as-council-questions-proposed-liability-caps-in-BSA-subtitle","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545291-6becacfa5e0798e19f6bd4f536456831/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443420&Signature=E5Sj5JJNfj7VcHnUcSoIgr4NtvKgqf4zkjS4JidS~qns0XcNw4fFas9RTpbZilTVNxib85VsyhTrkfpIwvx93jlQ9kNgpJh4PU-AC8LjVsnEkWjw-2YCxoCV-IYWtAqCsnuVdWMRRM~6RSufMfWCO9kaZZuqjD5~4zZhHMofR6pmBWMzGLjQ-HozLD07JVmXKn8gwDQdSjrRekber1BMZ7zgGS1Qx3g4YfBBkbzMd2KWCixQj1zU4~9RYPm8y~Om5K9tjsG5nFsUJTnGi~4YVDnirY3KstxUzWooZB6KKQcjc7RiUh9GeRyiHoXanfSkUp8bHWzkjZTsKyeVZraVgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Public Works and Operations reviewed the Office of Risk Management's (ORM) FY26 budget and questioned proposed Budget Support Act language that would cap damages in certain claims. Jed Ross, chief risk officer and ORM director, testified the agency's FY26 operating lines would continue core programs—workers' compensation, tort settlements, captive insurance and risk prevention and safety—while noting funding shifts to reflect claim trends and insurance market costs.

Ross described the four ORM budget codes and figures: the employee compensation fund (BG0) is proposed at $18,285,541 with 51 FTEs; the settlements and judgments fund (ZH0) at $24,000,000 (an increase of $2,975,241); the captive insurance account (RJ0) at $11,732,526 with six FTEs; and the ORM operational budget (RK0) at $4,465,127 with 32 FTEs. He said RJ0 includes additional funding for insurance and professional services such as property appraisals.

Why the proposed caps matter
Committee members pressed Ross on a proposed BSA subtitle that would limit damages to $500,000 for single incidents and $1 million for intentional wrongful acts. Ross defended caps as a tool to protect the public fisc and to create a more efficient settlement process, saying in testimony that limits \"balance the need for individual compensation against the larger public consideration, of curtailing awards that often far exceed economic losses.\" He noted many states use caps and that neighboring jurisdictions have lower limits than those proposed.

Council members raised concerns about capping damages for catastrophic harms. One member cited two recent large settlements involving catastrophic injury and death and said it was difficult to see how caps would adequately compensate victims in those cases. Ross acknowledged the tension, but said the lack of caps can lead to very large jury awards and unpredictable liabilities that strain city finances and impede settlement negotiations.

Claims data and trends
Ross told the committee that in FY24 there were nine claims exceeding the proposed limits; in FY25 to date, ORM has received 1,234 total claims and 12 that exceed the proposed limits (five without a specified demand amount). He said the average cost per claim historically is about $8,760, though he cautioned that single catastrophic cases can be orders of magnitude higher and that constitutional claims are handled differently. Ross said the settlements and judgments fund has been exceeded in past years and that the cap is intended to provide fiscal predictability and judicial economy.

Other ORM priorities: prevention and fleet risk
Ross described ORM's risk prevention and safety program, which conducts safety inspections, manages worker compensation claims and coordinates the How Am I Driving program for district drivers. He said ORM intends to improve vendor and provider relations to increase the number of medical providers available to injured workers and to improve claims handling. On fleet safety, Ross described pilots for intelligent speed assistance devices and telematics to improve driver behavior and said pilots are planned with other agencies.

Next steps and committee concerns
Committee members asked how pending cases would be treated if caps take effect. Ross said the statutory application would generally apply to judgments or settlements finalized after the effective date, and that cases filed in court on or after the effective date would be subject to the limits. Several members said the policy warrants more public discussion before codifying limits that could affect families who suffered catastrophic losses.

","The Office of Risk Management presented its FY26 budgets and responded to council concerns about a Budget Support Act subtitle that would cap damages for settlements; ORM officials said caps provide fiscal certainty but some council members warned about limiting payouts for severe harms.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee presses OCTO on $165.7 million FY26 proposal, public‑safety cameras and federal broadband funding

Witness urges pilot of intelligent speed assistance on city fleet; ORM working on pilots with CFSA and other agencies

Domestic‑violence advocate urges OCTO investments to speed access to protection orders and benefits

Risk office defends FY26 budgets as council questions proposed liability caps in BSA subtitle