MyColorado app fixes on the way, officials promise

The beleaguered MyColorado mobile application that serves as a COVID-19 vaccine passport is getting a much-needed upgrade.

Driving the news: Colorado's chief information officer Anthony Neal-Graves said the governor's office is pumping more money into improving performance and customer service for the 3-year-old app as part of a bigger technology overhaul.

• The redoubled effort by the Governor's Office of Information Technology comes in response to the botched rollout of a new version of the app in 2021 that amplified existing problems and failed to meet customer demand.

What he's saying: "I'm confident that by the beginning of the year — January — that we'll also have a very stable platform out there available to people. We'll have better customer support capability for individuals as well," Neal-Graves recently told a committee of skeptical lawmakers. "I view this as a must-have."

The big picture: The troubles with the application are part of a much larger, years-long project to upgrade the state's IT systems.

• Gov. Jared Polis — a former tech entrepreneur — is asking for $66 million in new spending to modernize and decommission aging systems, citing a $465 million "debt" or needs in technology across state government agencies.
• Neal-Graves says the lack of investment in the IT system is a threat to the state's ability to provide services. 42% of the state's websites do not meet accessibility requirements.

Between the lines: The request is significant and will compete with other priorities for space in next fiscal year's budget.

• For lawmakers, this is not a new problem. They've spent the better part of a decade working to overhaul the system and implement a cohesive IT strategy to rein in spending.

The intrigue: In many ways, MyColorado epitomizes the battle.

• The governor's office launched the mobile app in 2019, soon after Polis took office, but neglected to get the approval of lawmakers for the budget.
• Polis later asked for $2 million and the equivalent of eight full-time employees, but state budget writers reduced the request and lamented being forced to pick up the tab.

What's new: The app — which allows users to store a digital copy of their driver's license — was "just kind of around and something interesting to have," Neal-Graves said, until the pandemic hit.

The addition of vaccine cards changed the game.

• Now more than 500,000 people use myColorado with close to 90,000 new users in the last three months, according to the governor's office.
• Most people use it to access their proof of vaccine to enter restaurants, bars and other businesses.

The other side: In a December hearing, legislative budget writers expressed concern about the rising cost of a program they never approved, but acknowledged the MyColorado app has found a purpose and a vision.

• State Sen. Chris Hansen (D-Denver) wants to see other government services connected. "This is now becoming a front door for the state government," he said.

This story first appeared in the Axios Denver newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard. Subscribe here.