Governor Newsom advances efficiency efforts, announces five new projects completed to improve state government

Earlier this 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. At the meeting, the Breakthrough Members provided the Governor with an update on the work underway, including their support of the Innovation Fellows. The Fellows, with assistance from the Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) and UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, are working with a group on public impact initiatives and state operations improvements. 

Efficient, effective, engaged

From hiring practices to water management, here are the latest wins that demonstrate how the state, alongside the California Breakthrough advisory group, is building a more efficient, effective, and engaged government for you:

#1 Fast-tracking state hiring

California has streamlined its hiring process and made applying for and moving between state jobs easier — by merging 67 generalist job titles, covering more than 32,000 positions, into just eight classifications. This will make it much easier for applicants to find the right role and for current employees to advance their careers and avoid being stuck in narrow job categories. Additionally, changes to peace officer job requirements will open opportunities across 90 classifications, impacting over 26,000 positions. This simplification helps applicants more easily find the right roles while greatly reducing the number of civil service exams applicants need to complete. In an early pilot, the state has also reduced application review time by nearly 87 percent while maintaining the state’s merit-based hiring practices. 

#2 Transparent Water Rights Records

A new system from the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Water Accounting, Tracking, and Reporting System (CalWATRS), replaces an outdated system that’s almost 20 years old. It simplifies the reporting process and reduces errors, and is part of ongoing work to digitize paper water rights records—some well over 100 years old—to make information readily available to the public for the first time through an interactive map. The new system also helps state officials take action when there is drought. For the first time, it makes the state’s 40,000 water rights records easily accessible to the public, while streamlining reporting for water rights holders.

#3 Saving millions through smarter tech contracts
The California Department of Technology (CDT) teamed up with the Employment Development Department (EDD) to consolidate multiple Salesforce license agreements into a single enterprise contract. This strategic move improved the state’s negotiating power—saving EDD $2.3 million, or 10%, on Salesforce costs alone. CDT also successfully negotiated a 12.4% discount under the Cisco CaliONE Statewide Agreement, benefiting eight departments. This strategic consolidation resulted in over $12 million in savings on hardware purchases for the State of California.

#4 Reducing printing costs
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) combed through traditional printing activities to identify publications and items that no longer needed to be published in paper form or could be distributed digitally. CDCR has ceased printing entire regulatory packages and only prints required notices, moved printed workbooks online, and now prints required notices and visitor passes in-house for a total savings of more than $563,000.

#5 Expanding access to nature with the Golden Bear Pass

California continues to step up and support our residents. The revamped Golden Bear Pass Program now offers free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 state parks for Californians on public assistance, with participation surging from a few thousand to over 108,000 passes issued in just three years.

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 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. 

Prioritizing efficiency and innovation — with appropriate safeguards protecting privacy, safety, and civil liberties — Governor Newsom has:

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.