Minnesota State Representative Tom Murphy announced on Apr. 17 several legislative efforts by House Republicans aimed at updating the state’s information technology infrastructure and legalizing autonomous vehicles.
Murphy said that recent events, such as a ransomware attack on Winona County’s computer systems, have highlighted the need for modern technology solutions in government. He also pointed to outdated systems like the MAXIS computer network used for public assistance programs as contributing factors to issues such as fraud.
House Republicans are supporting multiple bills this session. HF4808 would create the Technology Obsolescence Reduction Keystone account to help modernize state and local government IT systems. HF1911 seeks funding for county-level service delivery transformation and IT upgrades within human services. Another bill, HF4523, proposes a pilot project advisory group to fund updates for state human services technology, focusing on artificial intelligence, automated data verification, and improved user interfaces in legacy systems including MAXIS.
Murphy also discussed HF3513, which aims to legalize autonomous vehicles in Minnesota based on five principles: safety, efficiency, accessibility, economy, and trust. He said he is a co-author of this bill but expressed frustration that it was blocked in committee by DFL legislators. “Change always brings apprehension,” Murphy said about autonomous vehicles (AVs), adding that they have been shown to result in fewer crashes than human drivers and could reduce fatalities from drinking and driving.
Murphy stated his commitment to advancing these legislative priorities: “It is our responsibility as legislators to embrace this reality and lead Minnesota into an autonomous future.”
