Policy

The proposed legislation would stand up a Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency within the state auditor’s office. It would enable the use of artificial intelligence to review agencies’ performance and staffing levels.

A bill under consideration by the state Legislature would require operators of companion chatbot platforms to remind users periodically that the virtual characters are not human, and address other safety concerns.

Bills now under consideration by lawmakers in Illinois and West Virginia would affirm the roles of existing task forces on artificial intelligence. In Alaska, a proposed law would create a joint legislative AI task force.

The Oregon House of Representatives will vote on a bill to restrict K-12 students from using cellphones between the first and last bells of the school day and spells out consequences for those who violate the rules.

With Maryland lawmakers scheduled to give final approval to a new tax on certain technology services, questions remain about how the state will implement and enforce the new policy.

A North Carolina Senate bill that would review state agency performance and staffing levels, relying in part on the use of artificial intelligence, cleared its first committee step this week.

A bill moving through Congress proposes full scholarships for two-year degrees on the condition that students work two years at the federal, state, local or tribal level after graduating.

A new report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers highlights the large increase in the number of state CPOs. It also offers a blueprint for states or executives to create a privacy program.

Plus, New York announced $50 million for broadband infrastructure, Philadelphia has launched a tool to find free Wi-Fi in the city, federal broadband legislation has been introduced, and more.

New legislation in Alabama bans K-12 students from using portable communication devices on campus during the school day and requires that they be trained on the risks of social media.

The West Virginia House of Delegates passed the legislation at the request of Gov. Patrick Morrisey. It’s a sweeping energy bill that aims to usher in an increase of data center development.

Experts at the Consortium for School Networking’s annual conference in Seattle urged K-12 leaders to contact the FCC and Congress and voice their support for the E-rate program that funds school broadband.

Gov. Mike DeWine’s multibillion-dollar transportation budget, which he signed late Monday, will bar counties and townships from operating traffic camera programs. A 2015 law closely regulated their use for ticketing.

Some parents oppose legislation that would ban cellphones in Georgia public schools, arguing that the devices are essential for communicating with their kids in the event of a school shooting.

The sales tax on data, information technology and software publishing is at the center of a potential tax reform plan, which, in addition to more than $2 billion in spending cuts, aims to fill a budget shortfall.

Legislation active in each state focuses on the functions of IT agencies. One such bill would replace Florida Digital Service, while Alabama representatives may add cybersecurity to the Office of Information Technology’s duties.

The Virginia governor's veto of a measure that would have regulated artificial intelligence, and the revision of an AI governance bill in Texas, signal a potentially noteworthy juncture in the creation of such policy.

A Government Technology tracker of the evolving landscape of state government efficiency initiatives, distinguishing between those directly inspired by federal DOGE directives and independent programs.