State Agencies Work to Modernize Aging Software Systems

Several Kentucky state agencies are in the middle of multi-year projects to replace software systems that in some cases have been running core government functions since the 1990s, a modernization effort officials describe as overdue but logistically complex.

State technology officials say the aging systems have become increasingly expensive to maintain, in part because fewer technology workers have experience with the older programming languages some systems still rely on. Replacing them requires not just new software but careful data migration to avoid disrupting services residents depend on, from benefits processing to vehicle registration.

A Careful, Multi-Year Process

Unlike a private company that might tolerate some downtime during a system transition, state agencies handling benefits and licensing services have little room for error, officials say, which has made the modernization process slower than some critics would prefer.

"You can't just flip a switch on a system that processes benefits for hundreds of thousands of people. If something breaks, real people don't get paid or don't get their license renewed," said one state technology official overseeing part of the modernization effort.

Legislative budget officials say they have allocated funding for several of the ongoing projects across multiple budget cycles, reflecting the multi-year nature of the work. State officials say they expect some of the higher-priority system replacements to be substantially complete within the next few years, though a few of the oldest systems remain earlier in the planning process.