New Hampshire

In the Granite State, the Department of Education will give grants to 77 schools for parts, tools, uniforms, transportation, coaches and whatever is needed to participate in K-12 robotics club events.

State election regulators have approved new voting machines for the first time in more than three decades. City and town officials will be able to deploy the new machines for municipal races starting in March.

Rockingham County law enforcement is taking proactive steps to protect officers who handle illegal drugs, while allowing them to quickly identify dangerous substances they encounter.

Gov. Chris Sununu’s executive order calls on the Department of Education and other state agencies to gather public input from students and families and develop guidelines for a social media curriculum by Sept. 4.

The machines cost $6,000 to $7000, and have much in common with the aging AccuVote devices that are now used throughout New Hampshire. Ultimately, the state will approve one or two new machines for future use.

Opposition from state Rep. Steven Smith of Charlestown proved the key factor in the demise of a bill intended to make it easier for people to vote and more efficient for election workers to tally that vote.

The state is set to receive more than $196.5 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as part of the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.

At last week’s NASCIO conference, state technology leaders recommended focusing on developing strong relationships with municipalities to help meet the administrative burden posed by the influx of resources from recent federal funding packages.

State CIO Denis Goulet spoke at the NASCIO Midyear Conference about the relative maturity of the state’s privacy practice compared to its cybersecurity work. He’s hoping to add a CPO to the ranks very soon.

State financial systems that are user-friendly and save money are going to get good reviews from taxpayers. In Idaho, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, revenue agencies have worked to update systems on time and under budget.

Election reform advocates and Democratic lawmakers are mounting pressure in the Legislature to use federal Help America Vote Act funds for cities and towns to replace aging ballot-counting machines.

A pilot test of new ballot counting machines in one of three New Hampshire towns failed, according to Secretary of State David Scanlan. The new machines were being tested as replacements for existing obsolete technology.

At no cost to parents, Waterford Upstart offers an at-home, adaptive, kindergarten readiness online program that combines the science of learning, the power of mentoring, and technology to deliver early education.

Rural parts of the state that lack reliable Internet connections are hopeful the recent award of $65 million in American Rescue Plan Act money will expand service in their areas. The state Legislature accepted the funding last week.

The state Department of Transportation recently purchased a new data system from TomTom — the company that pioneered the idea of GPS navigation systems in our cars — that provides real-time traffic data.

The New Hampshire House Science, Technology and Energy Committee will take up this general recommendation to approve of legislation focused on public education, technical requirements and advice to municipalities.