Arkansas

A proposed state Senate bill would change the name of the Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services, and compel creation of the “Safe Arkansas App.” It would also hone policy on how departments use tech resources.

The state has created a new working group to study and assess artificial intelligence and make policy recommendations for the technology’s use. It will provide a report on its findings by December.

In Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Utah, lawmakers this session are trying to balance digital privacy and children’s mental health issues as they seek to implement social media mandates.

In the job for just more than three years, Askins now has a job with a telecommunications firm based in the South. Among the issues he has tackled are artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data migration.

At the NASCIO Annual conference in Minneapolis, Arkansas CTO Jonathan Askins echoed the sentiments of his peers in his cautious optimism about AI in government and said they won’t have a second chance to get it right.

A U.S. district court judge has issued a temporary injunction against an Arkansas law that mandates social media companies to use third-party vendors for age verification checks on new users or face substantial fines.

Energy-hungry cryptocurrency mining operations have caught the attention of state and federal lawmakers. While some welcome the operations, others are taking a more critical look at what they bring to the table.

Plus, organizations urge Congress to support legislation for rural communities; a report explores redundancies in federal broadband programs; and much more.

The state is now the second in the nation with legislation requiring parental consent for child social media usage. It follows closely behind a March law signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

McGough, who replaces Josh McGee, has worked for two decades on the state’s technology programs, rising through the ranks. He will now focus on such tasks as improving data structure and security for Arkansas.

During a panel discussion on the subject of data management, state data experts discussed the importance of intentionally obtaining data to inform decision-making and tell a story to those who use it.

Crittenden County, Ark., which is home to roughly 50,000 people, is trying to create a one-stop shop for its residents to find services, ranging from government to nonprofits to local churches.

The abortion rights hacktivist group SiegedSec is claiming responsibility for hacks against Arkansas and Kentucky state governments. The states say the leaked information does not appear to be sensitive in nature.