Maryland

A human-sized patrol robot named Parker, meant to record and deter crime in Montgomery County parking garages, was sidelined late last month over privacy and transparency concerns.

The state Department of Information Technology’s new 86-page road map details how officials intend to transform service delivery, boost security and modernize infrastructure. IT literacy will be key.

Dubbed the Patrol Drone Program and unveiled Monday, a new initiative builds upon the police department’s previous use of drones in crash investigations over the past decade.

The Maryland Energy Administration will pay for 53 electric buses and 40 charging stations, aiming for cost savings, cleaner air and workforce development for a more sustainable student transportation system.

A new sales tax on technology services that aims to raise nearly $500 million in its first year is at the center of a slew of Maryland tax changes set to go into effect on Tuesday.

University System of Maryland students will have free access to Google Career Certificates in cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management and UX design.

Changes to procurement, cybersecurity and even "legacy" landlines will help the state save $250 million in the next five years, according to Gov. Wes Moore. It’s all part of his modernization plan.

The university launched a new center this month aimed at collecting data and developing intentional, research-supported educational tools based on how students and educators are using AI in classrooms.

James Saunders, an experienced cybersecurity executive with time in the private and federal sectors, has been named the state’s acting chief information security officer, after its former CISO departed.

A partnership between the state of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Defense establishes a “Capital of Quantum Benchmarking Hub” at the University of Maryland’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security.

The state’s budget for fiscal year 2026 includes a new 3 percent taxation on information technology and data services. Officials said it aims to fill tax structure gaps as the market sees a shift from products to services.

With Maryland lawmakers scheduled to give final approval to a new tax on certain technology services, questions remain about how the state will implement and enforce the new policy.

The sales tax on data, information technology and software publishing is at the center of a potential tax reform plan, which, in addition to more than $2 billion in spending cuts, aims to fill a budget shortfall.

A report from the Office of Legislative Audits found issues with the Maryland Higher Education Commission's recordkeeping as well as cybersecurity, but those findings were redacted from the public version of the report.

The governor and lawmakers propose closing a state budget deficit in part by taxing large website and cloud computing providers. The state Senate minority leader questioned how the economy can grow if innovation is stifled.

The Maryland Energy Administration offered grants to 11 colleges and universities to install solar panels and draft strategies to incorporate renewable energy into academics and workforce preparation.

The state plans to use a $13.2 million grant from the federal government to standardize interagency crash data, improve its quality and make it easier to access. Funds may also be used to automate data sharing.

Councilmembers say data centers are coming with or without the city's involvement, and that the city badly needs the potential revenue stream the centers are expected to bring.