Louisiana’s LA FIRST Data System Goes Live, Speeds Policy Research by 30%

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana’s new multi-agency platform delivers secure, integrated data to lawmakers, promising faster insights and stronger evidence-based decision-making.

Louisiana’s ambitious new data integration project, the Louisiana Foundational Integrated Research System for Transformation (LA FIRST), is now fully operational, providing lawmakers with secure, multi-agency data to shape public policy. Administered by the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the initiative aims to make Louisiana a leader in longitudinal research—tracking trends and challenges people face throughout their lives. Early legislative reports generated through the system have already influenced policymaking decisions.

Created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2023 and overseen by the Louisiana Board of Regents, LA FIRST merges information from multiple state agencies under strict security protocols. By law, all data handling must meet the Office of Technology Services (OTS) Information Security Policy, requiring the use of OTS-issued equipment and servers. This mandate led to a collaborative effort between OTS and the Blanco Center to design the project’s first secure technical framework.

Key technical solutions include an OTS-hosted file share with dedicated directories for confidential and restricted materials, automated MoveIt transfers to route files correctly, and a SharePoint site with individual agency sub-sites for secure communication during nondisclosure reviews. OTS also deployed a dedicated SQL server to improve data governance and connected the LA FIRST team to state IT services in early 2024, enabling advanced storage and access in the LA FIRST Data Center.

With all Data Sharing Agreements signed, the system’s first reporting cycle marked a major milestone: a 30% reduction in nondisclosure review times. This acceleration allows researchers to move from data request to actionable analysis more quickly, streamlining the delivery of insights to state decision-makers. The Information Division and Research Division have also gained enhanced computing capacity to handle larger, more complex datasets.

Policymakers have responded positively to the system’s performance, citing increased confidence in the accuracy and timeliness of its outputs. As LA FIRST scales its operations, officials expect it to become a cornerstone of evidence-based governance—offering Louisiana a competitive edge in turning data into smarter, faster policy solutions that directly benefit residents.

Read more at ULL’s Research