Maryland

Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration overhauled its computer-based learner’s permit tests, and passing scores increased within months. Data obtained by Government Technology details the secret to their success.

State Attorney General Anthony Brown this week unveiled the site for residents to let authorities know about hate crimes and hate bias incidents. Reports can be filed anonymously.

Annapolis, a city expected to experience record flooding this year, is currently changing how City Dock — an area of land that connects the city’s downtown to the waterfront — looks and operates.

Plus, the FCC is updating its broadband data collection process, Texas has launched a dashboard on public library Internet speeds, Louisiana is offering online skills training, and more.

Plus, Nevada gets $250 million for broadband, data unveils the barriers to digital equity for Asian Americans, and the federal government is eyeing 6G.

Natalie Evans Harris, the state’s new chief data officer, brings nonprofit and public-sector experience to the job. Jason Silva leaves the Department of Transportation to become the deputy chief technology officer of platform services.

The state Department of Commerce and the Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative have launched four dashboards that aggregate multiple streams of demographic and economic data, providing insight for government and residents.

Among its directives, the order from the Maryland county’s executive creates an AI task force that will be responsible for drafting strategies, use cases and priorities. “Digital access equity” is central to that work.

CIO, Maryland Department of Human Services

Artificial intelligence and data leaders from Georgia, Maryland and Vermont shared their perspectives on successful AI governance in a GOVChats panel discussion. The environment, they said, is still in development.

The government technology giant follows a February Amazon Web Services pact with a potentially longer-term state of Maryland contract. It comes as Tyler’s most recent financials show double-digit cloud growth.

Plus, support remains strong for continuing the Affordable Connectivity Program, a Massachusetts planning program expands and Alabama gets $150 million in broadband funding.

Environmental groups, and some legislators, are voicing concerns about a bill proposed by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, arguing it excessively loosens oversight for energy-hungry data centers to open in the state.

The legislation would set mandatory AI safety testing requirements before training or market release and would mandate an internal fail-safe be included in all AI systems to trigger an immediate shutdown if issues are detected.

Anne Arundel County officials and members of the library system handed out more than 200 Chromebooks at the Linthicum library location as part of a program aiming to bridge digital and Internet access gaps.

The U.S. General Services Administration has chosen to collaborate with four states to pilot a text notification platform geared toward enhancing internal and external communication surrounding federal benefits services.

CIO Katie Savage explains how the state is taking a more holistic, collaborative approach to updating legacy systems, maturing its cyber team and establishing user-friendly design processes.

Plans to overhaul IT services in the state include new AI regulations; policies ensuring ease of access to state platforms; a collaborative approach to cybersecurity; and a new office dedicated to user-centric digital innovations.