Policy

Plus, learning American Sign Language with AI, the surge in ransomware attacks on governments in 2024, and self-driving cars hit a new speed record.

The new state budget would set aside $13.5 million to make New York the largest state in the country to not allow public school students to use cellphones during the school day.

The chief financial officer of Cabarrus County Schools, North Carolina, recently told his school board that technology costs, like purchasing new student Chromebooks, are his greatest concern when it comes to tariffs.

The leaders want the state's congressional delegation to protect the act, which is a semiconductor manufacturing investment law intended to set the U.S. up for a new era of computer component manufacturing.

North Carolina House members are expected to vote soon on whether the state can invest a portion of its public funds — for retirement, education, transportation and more — in cryptocurrency.

The Aspen Policy Academy has released a framework intended to standardize the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy's evaluation processes, to help build transparency for individuals and companies.

The proposed legislation, which would create a state cyber command in San Antonio to securitize against cyber attacks, easily won the approval of state Representatives. It heads next to the state Senate for consideration.

One concern is that money that could have been diverted to supporting the goals of the executive order — as well as many people with expertise in the subject — are being cut from the federal government.

Spreading artificial intelligence-crafted fakes of a political candidate during an election could lead to civil penalties of up to $250,000 a day under the new legislation.

With the goal of further enforcement of speeding and reckless driving laws, a bill that was recently passed in Connecticut calls for a plan to expand speed safety cameras on state highways.

Two statewide proposals, one in the House and one in the Senate, offer competing ideas for how to limit phone use in K-12. One would leave it to school boards to decide specifics, and the other stipulates more specifics.

Uber wants to become the go-to platform for operators of autonomous mobility services. Other companies like Waymo are becoming market leaders in their own way.

Gov. Greg Abbott has approved establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, with a projected budget of $22.8 million. It joins the legislative Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee, created earlier this year.

Education leaders said the order creates important momentum, but they expressed concerns about sustainable funding and whether ed-tech leaders will have a seat at the table to help shape the directive’s initiatives.

A bill that would add a black box warning to social media home screens moved forward in the California Legislature Tuesday, after emotional testimony from witnesses and Assembly members.

The state Department of Environmental Protection will grant “enforcement discretion” to automakers that are unable to meet zero-emission vehicles requirements in the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation for 2025 and 2026 models.

A new Communications and Technology Committee in the House will play a part in reviewing most artificial intelligence-related proposals. Legislators have set a series of policy hearings in which to hear from AI leaders.

Markets around the world have been reactive to recent U.S. tariff announcements and rollbacks. State officials are concerned trade friction with other nations could lead to equipment shortages and contract turbulence.