Florida Digital Service
{{Short description|Cybersecurity agency in Florida, United States}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Florida Digital Service
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| formed = 2020
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| jurisdiction = Florida
| headquarters = 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
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| parent_agency = Florida Department of Management Services
| website = {{Official website|https://digital.fl.gov/|digital.fl.gov}}
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The Florida Digital Service is a government agency created to lead Florida's cybersecurity efforts.{{Cite web |title=Florida lacks cybersecurity experts as state sees growing threats |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/08/18/florida-lacks-cybersecurity-experts-as-state-sees-growing-threats/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502180743/https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/08/18/florida-lacks-cybersecurity-experts-as-state-sees-growing-threats/ |url-status=live }} In 2020, the agency, modeled after the United States Digital Service, was created by Ron DeSantis{{Cite web |title=Here's why Florida's information technology projects keep failing |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2020/12/22/millions-wasted-why-floridas-info-tech-projects-keep-failing/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508133357/https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2020/12/22/millions-wasted-why-floridas-info-tech-projects-keep-failing/ |url-status=live }} based on legislation introduced by Florida Rep. James Grant, who initially led the organization.{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Colin |date=2020-08-13 |title=Florida State Rep. James Grant to become state's new CIO |url=https://statescoop.com/florida-state-rep-james-grant-becomes-state-cio/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508133350/https://statescoop.com/florida-state-rep-james-grant-becomes-state-cio/ |url-status=live }} The Florida Department of Management Services is the parent agency.
In 2021, several top officials departed without giving any notice and the agency, short-staffed, was unable to create a plan to spend the $30 million in funding assigned to cybersecurity measures by lawmakers.{{Cite web |title=Florida hasn't used $30 million in cybersecurity protection funding. Why not? |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/24/florida-hasnt-used-30-million-in-cybersecurity-protection-funding-why-not/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508133352/https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/09/24/florida-hasnt-used-30-million-in-cybersecurity-protection-funding-why-not/ |url-status=live }} By September 2022 only 40 of 70 full-time positions were filled.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-28 |title=Florida CIO: Digital Service Moving from 'Startup to Scale Up' |url=https://www.govtech.com/computing/florida-cio-digital-service-moving-from-startup-to-scale-up |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=GovTech |language=en}} Grant announced he would step down from the role of Chief Information Officer on July 1, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Freed |first=Benjamin |date=2023-06-09 |title=Florida CIO James Grant to step down |url=https://statescoop.com/florida-cio-james-grant-steps-down/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502180744/https://statescoop.com/florida-cio-james-grant-steps-down/ |url-status=live }} In April 2024, a law revised the purpose of the agency to be "to lead enterprise information technology and cybersecurity efforts."{{Cite web |title=USF formally takes over state initiative Cyber Florida under new law |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2024/04/22/cyber-florida-reworked-hb1555-passed-2024.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240502160709/https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2024/04/22/cyber-florida-reworked-hb1555-passed-2024.html|archive-date=2 May 2024 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=www.bizjournals.com|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=CS/CS/CS/HB 1555 |url=https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/1555/BillText/c3/PDF |access-date=2024-05-02 |archive-date=2024-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508130657/https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/1555/BillText/c3/PDF |url-status=live }} In August 2024, Warren Sponholtz was named the new Chief Information Officer.{{Cite news |title=Warren Sponholtz named as chief information officer |url=https://flvoicenews.com/warren-sponholtz-named-as-chief-information-officer/}}
State Senate Bill 7026, introduced in March 2025, would replace the Florida Digital Service (FDS) with a cabinet-level entity known as the Agency for State Systems and Enterprise Technology. The new agency is intended to serve as the enterprise agency for IT governance and is projected to be established by 2028, contingent on the bill's passage. The bill was presented to the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee on March 17 by State Senator Gayle Harrell and was subsequently referred to the full Senate.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-28 |title=Bills in Alabama, Florida Hone In on State IT Duties |url=https://www.govtech.com/policy/bills-in-alabama-florida-would-continue-it-consolidation |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=GovTech |language=en}}