Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) has announced the California Digital Nudge Initiative, which aims to determine ways that government can better serve Californians and improve operations.

The program is a new collaboration with UCLA professor Shlomo Benartzi, a leading academic expert in behavioral economics, to improve government efficiency, shape policy and solve societal problems using digital technology. “Digital nudging” is an emerging field that combines behavioral insights and new technologies to help individuals make better decisions. In recent years, the public and private sectors have used “nudges” to save energy, make college more accessible and increase the savings rates of millions of Americans.

“I believe digital nudging has the potential to make a huge difference on a number of critical societal issues, ranging from retirement savings to voter turnout and water conservation,” Benartzi said “California is perfectly positioned to lead the way, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with pro tem de León and the California Senate.”

Benartzi and professor Richard Thaler pioneered Save More Tomorrow (SMT), a retirement program design concept that has doubled the savings rates of more than 4 million employees in the United States. Benartzi has also been advising the United Kingdom’s Behavioural Insights Team on policy issues and authored the newly released book, “The Smarter Screen: Surprising Ways to Influence and Improve Online Behavior.”

“California is a leader in digital technology and innovation, and we are uniquely positioned to develop a Digital Nudge Initiative for other states to follow,” de León said. “Professor Benartzi’s expertise in behavioral economics can be applied to a variety of issue areas and his creative ideas, coupled with the invention of new technology, will transform how we think about and tackle problems impacting our communities.”

For information, visit sd24.senate.ca.gov.