Oklahoma

Amid struggles to fill open cybersecurity positions, some states have looked toward volunteer citizen brigades trained to respond when smaller jurisdictions need help. Experts consider whether the benefits outweigh the risks.

This growing form of getting more from data is helping officials analyze spending that took place without top-level oversight. The tool could find its way into the hands of other public agencies for a variety of tasks.

The Oklahoma Broadband Office received official notification from the U.S. Department of the Treasury of the allocation of $167.7 million through the American Rescue Plan Act's Capital Projects Fund for broadband expansion efforts.

Experts say AI is now present in everything from apps and facial recognition software to ChatGPT, which allows users to ask questions and receive human-like replies based on data harvested from the Internet.

Stillwater Public Schools continues to develop its 1:1 technology initiative — a program launched for the 2023-24 academic year and funded by monies from a new bond initiative passed this year.

An Oklahoma community college has added wind and renewable-energy courses to its process technology program designed to provide skills needed for the traditional oil and gas, electrical and processing industries.

This week, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order to create a task force that would help guide the use of AI, aiming to help state government identify and mitigate risk in this space.

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

McIntosh, who assumed the chief information officer position earlier this month, replaces Jerry Moore, who had been serving as CIO since 2020. He brings more than two decades of IT experience to the role.

The Oklahoma Broadband Office is holding information-gathering meetings in order to solidify the Oklahoma Broadband Plan, which aims to provide high-speed Internet access to 95 percent of the state by June 2028.

Lawmakers across the country are increasingly turning their attention to the quickly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. In this piece we run down some of the bills being considered in this space.

Plus, Oklahoma is the latest state to launch a broadband listening tour, FEMA is teaming with the New Orleans Library for a digital literacy workshop, and more.

From benefits and payroll to performance management and policy, government HCM systems must be up to the task of tracking, monitoring and consolidating personnel data in a digital world.

Plus, New Mexico directs $36.8 million in grants through an Internet expansion pilot program, Nebraska nets $5.6 million in federal awards for boosting broadband, a report details Chicago digital divide progress, and more.

More states consider rallying volunteer cyber teams that can provide services like incident response and vulnerability assessments throughout the state. These models differ from state to state, however.

The state’s Office of Management and Enterprise Services announced the move. Singleton, who became CISO in 2019, led the OMES Cyber Command team and helped to secure remote work for state employees, among other tasks.

A program at Norman Public Schools gives high schoolers a chance to earn drone certifications as well as credit toward an aviation degree, including multiple semesters of college coursework in a variety of fields.

The state is partnering with Rave Mobile Safety to customize an anonymous tip app for students, staff and parents to report safety concerns, replacing an old tip line that wasn’t being used.