Montana

Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a bill this week stiffening penalties for drone operators that interfere with aerial wildfire suppression efforts. Violators could face a criminal misdemeanor, up to 6 months in jail and hefty civil fines.

TikTok Inc.'s popular video app is facing its first statewide ban in the U.S. after Montana’s governor signed a measure Wednesday that will prohibit its download by the general public beginning next year.

To get the next generation of IT talent into government, Montana CISO Andy Hanks wants candidates to think of state IT work as a great way to bookend a career in technology.

Montana has replaced the old bubble sheets with an online version of the ACT, which students may take on school-approved devices under supervision, allowing for greater flexibility with scheduling.

The federal infrastructure package is making electric vehicle charging a reality — even in states with few registered EVs. In Montana, the need for this infrastructure is driven, in part, by tourism from other states.

Planned academic restructuring at the university will include a new School of Emerging and Applied Technologies, which will accommodate a new cybersecurity degree as well as programs on data science, VR/AR and AI.

Having already ordered the app purged from state devices and networks due to cybersecurity and surveillance concerns, Montana's Gov. Greg Gianforte is asking the Board of Regents to do the same for the state's universities.

Students who are enrolled at least half-time in STEM programs at the University of Montana, Montana Technological Institute or Salish Kootenai College and can demonstrate financial need are eligible for scholarships.

Plus, the Colorado Broadband Deployment Board distributes a historic amount of funding; the New York Digital Inclusion Fund announces five innovation grants; a new program offers broadband support training for communities; and more.