California-Federal Smart City Technology Policy Collaboration

November 21, 2025

New Era of Intergovernmental Collaboration

In a significant development for governance and technology policy, California state officials and federal agencies have established a joint working group dedicated to coordinating smart city technology policy. This initiative represents a new paradigm in intergovernmental collaboration, particularly in the rapidly evolving domain of urban technology infrastructure.

The formation of this working group, as reported by The Hill, marks a strategic response to the increasing complexity of implementing smart city technologies across different jurisdictional levels. By creating a formal mechanism for coordination, both California and federal authorities are acknowledging the need for aligned approaches to technology governance in urban environments.

This collaboration comes at a critical juncture when cities across California are investing heavily in smart infrastructure. The working group will serve as a clearinghouse for policy coordination, helping to eliminate redundancies and resolve potential conflicts between state and federal regulations. Such alignment is particularly crucial given the accelerated timeline for infrastructure development ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics.

“Effective governance of emerging technologies requires unprecedented coordination between different levels of government,” notes a statement from the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “This working group establishes a formal channel for that essential dialogue.”

Smart City Technology Policy Framework

The joint working group will focus on developing a comprehensive policy framework that addresses various aspects of smart city technology implementation. This framework aims to create regulatory clarity while fostering innovation in areas including:

Data privacy and security standards for public infrastructure
Interoperability requirements for technology systems
Procurement guidelines for smart city technologies
Ethical use of artificial intelligence in urban management
Equitable deployment of smart infrastructure across communities

A central challenge in smart city implementation has been the fragmented regulatory landscape. Federal agencies often establish broad guidelines, while state and local governments must translate these into specific implementation rules. This working group aims to streamline this process by creating synchronization mechanisms between California’s technology initiatives and federal policy directives.

The framework will also address funding coordination, ensuring that federal grants and state investments in smart city technologies complement rather than duplicate each other. This financial alignment is expected to maximize the impact of public investments in urban technology infrastructure.

“Smart cities require smart governance,” explains a senior official from the U.S. Department of Transportation, one of the federal agencies participating in the working group. “This means creating policy frameworks that can adapt as quickly as the technologies they govern while maintaining consistent standards across jurisdictions.”

LA 2028 Olympics: A Catalyst for Coordination

The upcoming LA 2028 Olympics serves as both a catalyst and a concrete deadline for this intergovernmental collaboration. The international sporting event presents unique challenges and opportunities for smart city implementation, requiring seamless coordination between multiple levels of government.

Los Angeles aims to showcase next-generation urban technologies during the Olympics, positioning itself as a global leader in smart city innovation. This ambition necessitates accelerated development of various systems:

Intelligent transportation networks to manage Olympic visitor flows
Advanced security systems utilizing AI and IoT technologies
Sustainable energy management across Olympic venues
Smart water and waste management infrastructure
Digital platforms for visitor experience enhancement

The joint working group will prioritize policy coordination for these Olympic-related technologies, establishing them as use cases for broader smart city implementation. This approach allows for testing governance models in a high-profile context before scaling them to other California cities.

“The LA 2028 Olympics provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate how intergovernmental collaboration can accelerate smart city development,” states a representative from LA28, the Olympic organizing committee. “The policies and standards developed through this working group will create a lasting technological legacy for Los Angeles and other California cities.”

Key Stakeholders and Their Roles

The effectiveness of this joint working group depends on the active participation of key stakeholders from various government entities. The collaboration includes representatives from:

Federal Agencies:

Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Federal Communications Commission

California State Entities:

Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
California Department of Technology
California State Transportation Agency
California Energy Commission
California Office of Data and Innovation

Local Government Representatives:

Los Angeles Mayor’s Office
Los Angeles Department of Transportation
Other major California cities’ technology offices

Each stakeholder brings specific expertise and jurisdictional authority to the working group. Federal agencies contribute national standards and funding mechanisms, while state entities provide California-specific regulatory frameworks. Local government representatives ensure that policies address on-the-ground implementation challenges.

The working group has established a rotating leadership structure to ensure balanced representation across government levels. This approach reflects the collaborative nature of the initiative and prevents any single entity from dominating the agenda.

“This multi-stakeholder approach ensures that smart city policies reflect the needs and capabilities of all governance levels,” explains a California Department of Technology official. “By bringing everyone to the table, we create more robust and implementable frameworks.”

Implementation Timeline and Milestones

The joint working group has established a structured timeline with clear milestones to guide its work over the next several years. This timeline is designed to ensure policy coordination well ahead of critical implementation deadlines, particularly those related to the LA 2028 Olympics.

Key milestones in the working group’s agenda include:

Q3 2023: Completion of initial policy mapping to identify areas of overlap and potential conflict between federal and state regulations
Q1 2024: Development of harmonized data standards for smart city technologies deployed in Olympic-related infrastructure
Q3 2024: Establishment of coordinated procurement guidelines for smart city technologies
Q1 2025: Creation of joint funding mechanisms to support smart infrastructure development
Q4 2025: Finalization of regulatory frameworks for AI-powered urban systems
2026-2027: Implementation oversight and adjustment period
2028: Full deployment of coordinated smart city systems for the Olympics

This phased approach allows for iterative policy development, with each milestone building on previous work. The working group will issue quarterly progress reports to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process.

“Effective policy coordination requires both urgency and patience,” notes a federal representative to the working group. “Our timeline balances the need for quick action with the reality that good governance frameworks take time to develop properly.”

Potential Impacts on California Communities

The collaboration between California and federal agencies on smart city technology policy is expected to yield significant benefits for communities across the state. These impacts extend beyond the immediate focus on the LA 2028 Olympics to create lasting improvements in urban governance and technology implementation.

Anticipated community benefits include:

Enhanced Service Delivery

Coordinated smart city policies will enable more efficient public services through technology integration. From waste management to emergency response, aligned state and federal standards will allow for more seamless system deployment and operation.

Economic Development

Regulatory clarity creates a more favorable environment for technology companies and startups. The working group’s efforts to harmonize policies across government levels will likely stimulate investment in California’s smart city technology sector, creating jobs and economic opportunities.

Infrastructure Modernization

The policy coordination will accelerate the modernization of critical infrastructure systems. Communities across California will benefit from more resilient and adaptive urban systems, from water management to transportation networks.

Digital Inclusion

The working group has identified equitable access to smart city benefits as a core principle. Policy frameworks will include specific provisions to ensure that technological advancements reach underserved communities and address digital divide concerns.

“Smart cities must be inclusive cities,” emphasizes a statement from the California Office of Digital Innovation. “Our coordination with federal agencies will prioritize equitable deployment of technologies that improve quality of life for all Californians.”

Challenges and Opportunities

While the formation of this joint working group represents a significant step forward in intergovernmental collaboration, it also faces substantial challenges in achieving its objectives. Recognizing these challenges is essential for developing effective strategies to overcome them.

Key Challenges:

Jurisdictional Complexity: Navigating the overlapping authorities of federal, state, and local governments remains difficult, even with formal coordination mechanisms.
Technological Pace: Smart city technologies evolve rapidly, potentially outpacing the policy development process.
Resource Allocation: Ensuring sufficient staffing and funding for the working group’s activities across multiple agencies requires ongoing commitment.
Stakeholder Alignment: Balancing the priorities and approaches of diverse government entities demands sophisticated consensus-building.
Implementation Gaps: Translating policy coordination into on-the-ground implementation requires additional mechanisms beyond the working group itself.

Strategic Opportunities:

Policy Innovation: The working group creates space for developing novel governance approaches that could become models for other states.
Regulatory Efficiency: Coordinated policies can reduce compliance burdens for technology providers and local governments.
Investment Leverage: Aligned federal and state funding priorities can maximize the impact of public investments in smart infrastructure.
Knowledge Transfer: The collaboration facilitates sharing of expertise and best practices across government levels.
Global Leadership: Successful coordination positions California and the U.S. as leaders in smart city governance internationally.

“This working group represents both a challenge and an opportunity,” notes a senior advisor to the collaboration. “The complexity of coordinating across government levels is undeniable, but so is the potential to create more effective and responsive governance systems for emerging technologies.”

The Path Forward

As the joint working group begins its operations, several strategic considerations will shape its effectiveness and impact on smart city technology governance. These considerations reflect both the immediate priorities related to the LA 2028 Olympics and the longer-term vision for intergovernmental collaboration on technology policy.

The working group has identified several guiding principles for its ongoing work:

Adaptive Governance

Rather than creating rigid regulatory frameworks, the collaboration aims to establish adaptive governance mechanisms that can evolve alongside technologies. This approach recognizes that smart city implementation is an ongoing process rather than a one-time policy development exercise.

Outcome-Based Standards

The working group will focus on defining desired outcomes for smart city technologies rather than prescribing specific technical approaches. This allows for innovation while ensuring that public interest objectives are met consistently across jurisdictions.

Transparent Engagement

Regular public reporting and stakeholder consultation will be central to the working group’s operations. This transparency helps build trust in the process and ensures that policies reflect diverse community needs and concerns.

Evidence-Based Evaluation

The collaboration will establish metrics and evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of coordinated policies. This evidence-based approach allows for continuous improvement of intergovernmental coordination mechanisms.

“Our path forward requires both strategic vision and practical implementation,” states a joint communiqué from the working group leadership. “By focusing on these guiding principles, we can create a sustainable model for intergovernmental collaboration on technology governance.”

The establishment of this joint working group between California and federal agencies represents a significant evolution in how governments approach technology policy coordination. As smart cities move from concept to reality across California and the nation, this collaborative model may well become a template for effective governance in the digital age.

For stakeholders in both the public and private sectors, this initiative offers new opportunities to engage with more coherent and aligned policy frameworks. The success of this collaboration will ultimately be measured not just in policy documents produced, but in the improved functionality and equity of smart city implementations across California communities.

As preparations for the LA 2028 Olympics accelerate, this working group stands as a testament to the recognition that effective governance of emerging technologies requires unprecedented coordination across traditional government boundaries. The lessons learned through this process will likely influence intergovernmental relations well beyond California and well after the Olympic flame is extinguished.