Policy

A U.S. district court judge has issued a temporary injunction against an Arkansas law that mandates social media companies to use third-party vendors for age verification checks on new users or face substantial fines.

Plus, a new module is added to the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook, Virginia is the latest state to release its five-year broadband action plan, and more.

Efforts to cut down on pandemic-era unemployment insurance fraud is leaving some in the state without benefits as the tools used to detect fraudulent claims sideline legitimate payments.

The city’s finance committee recently recommended a $6.2 million contract that would cover the Aurora Police Department's body-worn cameras, Tasers and accompanying software through 2028.

The state auditor's office noted concerns about the California Department of Technology's security controls and project oversight in its most recent audit. The CIO, Liana Bailey-Crimmins, has responded to the concerns.

A public-private coalition called Innovate Illinois has enlisted several universities in pursuit of federal funding to designate its quantum science and biomanufacturing centers as EDA Tech Hubs.

Two data center applications have been filed in Stafford County, both in the Falmouth District. A meeting has been set for this week to discuss the projects and what they could mean for the surrounding community.

The state is looking to expose more Pre-K-12 and college students to career paths in STEM fields as the country looks to increase domestic microchip production — a key goal of the CHIPS Act.

An ongoing education equity deals with a policy whereby researchers, in order to gain access to private education data, must agree not to release information from the data or testify about it without advance permission.

CoSN board chair Diane Doersch, also senior IT director for Digital Promise, says ed-tech leaders were relieved at the White House’s recent announcement, but school districts need to enact policies and train staff.

Congress is considering two proposed laws governing Internet use — one prohibiting companies from collecting data on youth without their consent, and another requiring social media to have parental controls.

The new registration fee is meant to make up for the state’s lost revenue from gasoline taxes that are used to pay for road construction and maintenance.

Several Connecticut lawmakers are open to the idea of a policy that would place more regulations on police using automatic license plate readers as departments continue to use the devices without outside oversight.

As schools and universities formulate their own policies on AI, ed-tech and AI experts are cautioning state and federal policymakers against rushing into overly broad regulations without understanding the technology.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced yesterday that she has directed executive branch agencies to adopt a statewide policy on generative AI that outlines how the technology can be used safely.

The Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo regions have joined forces to apply for a federal designation as one of 20 technology hubs in a nationwide competition run by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Energy-hungry cryptocurrency mining operations have caught the attention of state and federal lawmakers. While some welcome the operations, others are taking a more critical look at what they bring to the table.

The Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Act will offer grants to college students majoring in computer science, information technology or related fields, covering up to the full cost of tuition.