Policy

State and local entities had already begun to receive grant awards to teach digital skills and provide connectivity and devices for underserved people, including K-12 students, when the program was canceled last week.

Plus, New York announced grants through its ConnectALL initiative, Albuquerque halted a fiber installation initiative after resident complaints, broadband legislation to support rural providers emerged, and more.

The legislation would safeguard consumers and mandate transparency and accountability from the still-new industry. Nonpartisan staffers estimate implementation could cost $3 million or more in the next budget year.

Darwin, an artificial intelligence-focused startup, has released a free tool that agencies can use to spark AI development. The move comes as lawmakers and other officials pay increased attention to AI.

While many educators and parents have supported and attested to the efficacy of keeping smartphones out of schools, some educational organizations are warning Maine lawmakers not to overreach.

A bill heading to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk will require school districts to draft their own policies enacting a total cellphone ban for students during the school day, starting in the fall.

As data management becomes an increasingly important priority for state governments and the people they serve, experts examine what authority the federal government has to access private state information.

In defense of the moratorium, Republican lawmakers argued that regulations across 50 states pose too great a challenge for federal rules around artificial intelligence to be effectively developed.

Administrative support for the Office of Data Governance and Analytics has moved to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, in an effort to improve efficiency and further enable teamwork.

The agency is seeking feedback on its idea to bring more precision to emergency call locations in hopes of helping first responders. The proposal reflects larger trends in the public safety space.

President Donald Trump has called for ending the Digital Equity Act, which Congress passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, referring to it as unconstitutional. Advocates respond and examine what that could mean.

A new study from the Mineta Transportation Institute outlines the symbiotic relationship between highway tolling and transit, and how each program needs the other. Transportation panelists examined the idea recently.

Plus, new broadband legislation has been introduced, the BEAD program remains on hold amid pressure to expedite its review, Philadelphia has launched a laptop distribution initiative, and more.

Coweta County officials on Tuesday became the second metro Atlanta government to temporarily pause all new data center projects, to find their bearings amid an unprecedented wave of proposals.

A bill that would bar digital applications created in Russia and China from being accessed on state government-owned devices has cleared the House of Representatives. It now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

An attempt to revive a moribund plan to slow the state’s first-in-the-nation artificial intelligence regulations from taking effect failed. The rules should take effect early next year, barring a special session.

A paper authored by teams at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University examines the role of local governments’ procurement processes in advancing artificial intelligence adoption.

K-12 students will have to store any wireless communication devices in their cars or lockers during the school day. Gov. Kay Ivey is expected to sign the bill, as she said in February that she supported it.