Missouri Lawmaker from Excelsior Springs Says State Government’s IT Systems Need an Overhaul

A western Missouri lawmaker who chairs the subcommittee on federal stimulus spending has tremendous concerns about the state’s IT systems, saying they’re outdated. Excelsior Springs State Representative Doug Richey says citizens who need help with constituent services are frustrated, especially when they have issues that involve multiple state departments:

COBOL is a 60-year-old program. Chairman Richey plans to hold a July hearing on the issue and wants to see what other states are doing. He also says the stimulus funding heading to Missouri under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a good opportunity to tap into federal money for a state IT overhaul.