We’ve got all handled authorities purple tape and paperwork. We create new accounts for each division, validate our id a number of instances, and query why authorities providers don’t securely share our information.
Liz Tanner, Secretary of Commerce for Rhode Island
WPRI.com
Liz Tanner has served because the Director of the Division of Enterprise Regulation for Rhode Island since 2017. Earlier this 12 months, Governor McKee named her the Secretary of Commerce for Rhode Island. When Liz joined state authorities, she got down to change the purple tape and paperwork and elevate the rank of Rhode Island in enterprise local weather statistics. Scouring the nation, Liz discovered no inspiration from bigger states with extra assets. In truth, with just a few exceptions, states carried out enterprise in the identical means. Wanting internationally, she was intrigued with Estonia as one of many first nations on this planet to embrace and deploy blockchain expertise in manufacturing programs.
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Introducing Blockchain expertise to authorities with Estonian mannequin
The Estonia mannequin made conducting enterprise with the federal government straightforward and frictionless. Utilizing blockchain expertise, residents enter their data solely as soon as and the identical data could be obtainable when interacting with many businesses and departments of presidency, equivalent to making use of to school or acquiring a license or allow. Liz was eager to take the Estonia blockchain expertise to Rhode Island.
In 2017, the state floated an RFP to discover the idea of introducing Blockchain expertise to the federal government. The response was unprecedented, with over sixty concepts from over thirty distributors protecting varied companies, from marijuana to allowing and licensing to well being care.
Rhode Island selected Infosys Public Providers to assist streamline the method of opening a brand new enterprise. Nevertheless, a deep dive decided that 5 unbiased state businesses have been concerned on this course of. Recognizing that long run adoption relies on the success of the pilot, the challenge scope was narrowed to the Division of Enterprise Regulation.
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The preliminary proof of idea work centered on credentialing Licensed Public Accountants (CPAs) as a low-risk challenge that would show the expertise.
Decreasing a multi-week course of to thirty minutes
Usually it was a cumbersome course of for a CPA to resume a license in Rhode Island and show their credentials. The blockchain pilot developed by Infosys Public Providers lowered the time dramatically and allowed the CPA to carry their credential in a pockets on their cellphone.
Acquiring a CPA license requires proof of academic credentials, CPA examination outcomes, work expertise, and id verification. A driver’s license verifies id and residency, the employer verifies credentials, and the Division of Enterprise Regulation confirms all documentation earlier than issuing or renewing the license.
The blockchain primarily based answer establishes an id blockchain community that digitizes and automates workflows enabling the safe alternate of knowledge among the many state company and residents. Sooner or later, CPAs will be capable of provoke a service request (e.g., a renewal of their CPA license) by merely interacting with any company they labored with up to now. This ‘major company’ by way of the id blockchain community collaborates with the Division of Enterprise Regulation to finish the service request. This answer eliminates the necessity for the citizen (CPA requesting renewal) to share data a number of instances.
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The division of Motor Automobiles (DMV) additionally offered the aptitude of a hear solely node to the id community. This may allow Rhode Island to develop extra DMV use instances on this One Rhode Island id community.
Infosys Public Providers used Hyperledger Indy, instruments and libraries to create and handle digital identities and used core blockchain requirements to make sure the info’s safety. The Hyperledger was in-built such a means that it was scalable within the cloud utilizing Amazon Net Providers (AWS).
The answer is extremely safe as all the info on a person stays within the particular person’s pockets and the person has management on who and what a part of her/his information might be accessed. Private identifiable data is rarely saved on the ledger; verification is requested solely by way of a Decentralized Identifier that represents the credentials.
CPAs are one of many few professionals that may apply throughout states. Nevertheless, they have to present a sound license to render their providers to a shopper. With this answer, CPAs have a quick, safe, and simple method to confirm their credentials utilizing their digital pockets. A number of states and nationwide organizations are exploring methods to undertake blockchain because it simplifies the credential verification course of by leaps and bounds.
Three key expertise parts of the answer
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A blockchain consists of secured data blocks chained sequentially to 1 one other. The chain types an immutable ledger distributed over collaborating nodes. The primary ingredient of the answer is digital id. In the present day each doc which proves our id, equivalent to a driver’s license or passport, is managed and owned by the federal government, whether or not we prefer it or not. Blockchain digital id expertise establishes a “Self-Sovereign Id” (SSI) that shifts possession of identities from the federal government to people.
SSI shifts the id and credential administration from centralized programs run by the federal government with all of the related silos to a peer-to-peer mannequin utilizing public-key cryptography, decentralized identifiers over a blockchain.
The second ingredient is Hyperledger Indy, a distributed ledger purpose-built for decentralized id. Hyperledger Indy comes with instruments, libraries, and reusable parts to create and use unbiased digital identities on blockchains.
Lastly, there may be Hyperledger Aries, the shopper a part of a decentralized id utility. Aries is the shopper layer inside Hyperledger Indy that facilitates interplay with different platforms.
Wrapping up
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Speaking to a state company is a primary for me. However here is the cool half: Rhode Island with their accomplice Infosys Public Providers is doing this reasonably than speaking. I do know the selection of CPA digital credentials definitely was not horny, but it surely proved the expertise. The significance of creating a base is huge and could lead on to a whole overhaul of methods to do enterprise with the federal government.
The State of Rhode Island and Infosys Public Providers deserve credit score for delivering a pilot blockchain initiative in the midst of a pandemic, which is heroic. It’s also essential to notice that this challenge wouldn’t have occurred with out robust management from former Governor now US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who understood the probabilities and realized in regards to the expertise to assist transfer it ahead. When the time lastly got here to push the pilot onward, Lieutenant Governor, now Governor Dan McKee, offered approval from the highest.
Wanting ahead, Liz, with new funding, want to return to her unique need of creating a brand new enterprise by offering the knowledge in a single place. In the present day, while you kind your LLC or company, you accomplish that in a number of areas of state authorities, together with 4 or 5 completely different web sites. Sooner or later, residents will use a single information entry web site to enter data as soon as, and from there it goes in all places it’s wanted. Now that is horny.
By the blockchain initiative, residents and companies in Rhode Island will set up a digital credential for use throughout varied authorities and state web sites. Liz shies away from calling it blockchain due to its affiliation with cryptocurrency. Liz describes it as “a method to maintain data in a really safe and secure place so you should use it repeatedly.” It’s a worthy objective that I hope different states will comply with the instance of Rhode Island.
Observe: Moor Insights & Technique writers and editors might have contributed to this text.
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The silver lining of inflation: Rhode Island’s tourism economy benefited from $5.6 billion in visitor spending in 2023, according to new research by a state commissioned consultant.
A presentation by international firm Tourism Economics for Rhode Island Commerce Corporation showed visitor spending grew more than twice as fast as the increase in the number of visitors in 2023. The 28.4 million people who traveled to the Ocean State in 2023 is 2.2% higher than the prior year, but their total spending on travel, food, lodging and entertainment grew 4.6% year-over-year.
That’s driven by demand growth as well as price hikes for commodities and services, according to the research.
More than one-quarter of the direct spending, 26%, stemmed from food and beverage sales. Lodging, including hotels, second houses and short-term rentals, was the second-highest expense, contributing $1.2 billion.
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Air transportation saw the biggest annual increase, up 10.2%, to $328 million in 2023. Rhode Island Airport Corporation, the quasi-public entity that manages the state’s airports, gets a share of revenue from passengers on flights, as well as fees for the airlines to land, use hangar space, and other related services.
In March 2023, Breeze Airways opened a permanent base at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, with plans to invest $160 million and hire up to 250 employees over the next five years. Commerce awarded the Utah-based airline $2.9 million in tax credits tied to the job creation plans.
Commerce has also experimented with various destination marketing ploys, from giant, traveling stuffed quahogs to the $2.2 million “All That” ad campaign rolled out in February of this year.
“The economic activity generated from the travel sector represents a critical component of the state’s current and future growth,” Anika Kimble-Huntley, Commerce’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “The Commerce team will continue to work with our great partners, statewide, to support the upward trajectory of tourism and record-breaking visitation.”
Visitor count and direct spending in 2023 broke prior state records, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers. However, the number of jobs tied to the state’s tourism economy remains slightly below its 2019 peak.
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The 38,329 jobs directly tied to the tourism economy in 2023 remains about 1,000 jobs, or 2.5%, below 2019 levels. Including jobs that indirectly benefited from tourism, 2023 activity helped to sustain 86,612 jobs, while generating $935 million in state and local tax revenues, according to the research.
“Tourism plays a vital role in Rhode Island’s economy by creating jobs, supporting our local businesses, and showcasing everything that makes our state a premier destination,” Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner said in a statement. “I applaud the dedicated efforts of the tourism team at Rhode Island Commerce and all others in the industry that helped reach this accomplishment.”
Including direct spending, jobs and tax revenue, the visitor economy totaled $8.3 billion in 2023, a 4.5% increase over the prior year.
The research reflects federal labor and jobs statistics, state and local tax revenues, short-term rental information and information from market research group Longwoods International.
Brown men’s basketball coach Mike Martin speaks after a Bears win Sunday
The Bears recorded 27 assists and 15 made-threes, the most assists in at least a decade, the close out the College Hill Classic on Sunday night.
Kino Lilly Jr. and Tyonne Farrell took home some hardware as college basketball season cruised past the halfway point of its opening month.
Lilly was named the Ivy League Player of the Week and Farrell repeated as the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week. The guard from Brown and forward from the University of Rhode Island received their respective honors on Monday afternoon.
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Lilly posted three 20-point games in as many nights for the Bears at their College Hill Classic, which was played at the Pizzitola Center. He hit for 26 points in an opening Friday win over New Hampshire and collected 20 in a closing Sunday victory over Sacred Heart. Lilly was 14-for-29 from 3-point range and posted 13 assists.
Lilly set a Brown program mark in the middle game against Holy Cross, surpassing JR Hobbie as the all-time leader in 3-pointers. Hobbie connected 257 times from beyond the arc in his 115 games, a career that ran from 2013-17. Lilly is currently at 264 makes from deep through 91 career games, starting with the Bears in 2021.
Farrell recorded a first career double-double in a blowout of Franklin Pierce, totaling 10 points and 10 rebounds in the 105-73 triumph. Farrell added six assists and two steals in just 22 minutes, as the Rams pulled away in the second half. He was a plus-22 in the box score.
Farrell is the first URI freshman to win consecutive conference rookie honors since E.C. Matthews grabbed four straight in 2013-14. That string was broken by teammate Hassan Martin — both cornerstones were among the first recruiting class brought in by former coach Dan Hurley. Farrell looks to have the makings of an impact talent for the Rams, starting each of his first three career games.
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Brown will be back in action on Saturday at Canisius. URI returns sooner, hosting Lafayette in a 7 p.m. tip on Wednesday. The two teams will renew their rivalry series on Dec. 10 on the East Side.
PROVIDENCE — Motorists in the northeast have enjoyed watching prices continue to inch lower at the pump as gloomier demand forecasts grip global petroleum markets.
The average gas price in Rhode Island is down three cents from last week, averaging $2.91 per gallon. Today’s price is nine cents lower than a month ago and 44 cents lower than on the same day last year. Rhode Island’s average gas price is 16 cents lower than the national average.
“Normally, higher demand and tightening supplies would send prices climbing, but markets are more focused on the long-term global demand picture at this time,” said Jillian Young, director of public relations for AAA Northeast. “A key factor keeping prices steady has been the continued pace of strong domestic oil and gas production throughout 2024.”
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Crude oil prices ended last week down almost $5 a barrel after both OPEC+ and the International Energy Agency slashed their demand projections for 2025, citing China’s limping economy and the potential for a global gasoline production surplus of more than one million barrels a day.
Domestically, prices for petroleum commodities are lower despite last week’s data from the Energy Information Administration that showed a 555,000 barrel a day surge in domestic demand week-to-week. The increase took many market participants by surprise, and is expected to be revised lower in future reports by the agency, which is not uncommon.
Total demand for last week was a reported 9.3 million barrels a day — 434,000 barrels more than the comparable week last year and more akin to figures seen during the summer driving season. At the same time, regional inventories that supply the Northeast fell by 2.8 million barrels, sending stockpiles below last year’s levels by 1.3 million barrels.
AAA Northeast’s Nov. 18 survey of fuel prices found the current national average down a penny from last week, averaging $3.07 gallon. Today’s national average price is 12 cents cheaper than a month ago and 25 cents lower than on the same day last year.
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