Policy

As part of the response to the global shortage of cybersecurity talent, a bipartisan bill would establish a program where cybersecurity staff can rotate to different federal agencies.

Are stricter privacy regulations a good thing? As more state and local governments look to protect data privacy, a couple of industry experts point out some of the challenges associated with these types of policies.

The young company, with roots in Barack Obama’s second presidential campaign, helps governments and others use data to make policy decisions. The new funding reflects the public sector’s rising use of such tools.

Last week, Hamilton City Council in Ohio unanimously passed legislation to ban residents from using drones to harass and spy on other citizens. However, drone supporters felt the law was too broad.

Out of the pandemic came an innovation that a coalition of open-government groups is begging Gov. Dan McKee to reinstate: the opportunity for the public to both watch and participate in government remotely.

Improving national cybersecurity means requiring organizations to report incidents — and giving these requirements enforcement teeth, said CISA Director Jen Easterly and National Cyber Director Chris Inglis.

Regulators are going after the cryptocurrency industry, which generates trillions of dollars. Crypto firms are seeking lobbyist support in Washington, D.C., as legal arguments reach a higher boiling point.

Starting Nov. 1, a Wisconsin bill will go into effect requiring insurance companies to meet specific requirements to protect residents' private information, including social security numbers and health information.

According to unnamed federal officials, the U.S. Treasury Department is poised to announce policies later this week that would sanction cryptocurrency entities that facilitate payment to ransomware criminals.  

If the legislation to create the new commission gets traction, standards would be set around the protection of private data across several sectors. Proponents contend these minimum standards will help secure the state.

The new agreement, led by Massachusetts, will allow eight neighboring states and Washington, D.C., to offer Internet access, devices and other technology to constituents through local agencies at a discounted rate.

The Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce and JLG Architects are seeking a $10 million grant, a portion of the $70 million dedicated by the North Dakota Legislature to career and technical education centers across the state.

The university’s first-ever online winter session attracted over 2,200 students, almost three-quarters of whom were juniors and seniors. The university is preparing this year’s course list with upperclassmen in mind.

A Maryland school district reversed its policy that students had to keep backpacks in their lockers after school-provided devices, carried by hand, started getting dropped, slammed into walls or otherwise damaged.

An interim rule from the U.S. Treasury Department may prevent cities from using federal coronavirus relief funds on broadband expansion efforts. A final rule could be determined in the fall.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said he will quickly sign a bill that calls for green economy expansion and the closure of all coal-fired power plants in the state by 2045. Critics say the bill would cut too many jobs.

A Florida judge has ruled that a Costco website doesn’t violate user privacy with tracking software and that the situation is not akin to being illegally wiretapped. Other cases have received similar rulings recently.

There's momentum — and funding — behind improving state and local government cybersecurity like never before. But as leaders ponder how to use it, they should remember that security is not about the latest slick tool.