State Government

Longtime business leader Robert Ward, senior adviser to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin since 2023, has been appointed to help state officials in realizing change and modernization.

A new report by the Vernonburg Group finds access to broadband is not generally inhibited by demographic factors — but instead others like location and type of land.

The California Health and Human Services Agency’s new IT and Data Strategic Plan underscores a resident-centric, integrated approach to services. It highlights the crucial role of IT professionals in advancing digital equity.

Eighty transportation projects will receive nearly $830 million from a discretionary program that aims to improve resistance to extreme weather. Some state and local initiatives will use tools and data-driven analysis to harden infrastructure.

A new report by BroadbandNow indicates as many as 22 million U.S. residents still lack access to broadband, an improvement from 2020. But as Internet service improves, affordability in rural areas remains an issue.

The state’s Turnpike Commission cautioned E-ZPass account holders they are being targeted by bad actors seeking financial information to pay outstanding tolls. Toll agencies nationwide have reported similar scams in recent days.

Criticizing House Bill 7 for moving too quickly toward putting autonomous vehicles on the road without human supervision, Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed it Friday. Beshear said AVs should have a testing period before they can drive in the state.

A 50-state investigation in data journalism suggests the answer is, not yet. The AI agent was insightful on a number of fronts; but, while not descending into hallucinations, its mind strayed from instructions as the experiment went on.

The bill, which has cleared the state Senate, redefines the crime in existing law to include unauthorized use of tracking devices and computers for recording, tracking or reporting someone’s movements or location. It now goes to the Assembly.

As more cold cases are solved using forensic genealogy, Connecticut’s forensic lab is offering funds to local police departments looking to crack unsolved crimes by testing DNA evidence for familial links.

Plus, the FCC is preparing for a vote that could restore rules around net neutrality, state digital equity plans are continuing to be accepted, and more.

Wyoming Interim CIO TR Sheehan will move on from the position he has held twice, and CISO Aaron Roberts will add the CIO role to his duties, for now. Both men have been with the state for more than a decade.

Champ aims to be the big player when it comes to the digital title industry, with West Virginia the center of that push. The company continues to take on new clients, with at least two more states soon expected to use the company’s software.

Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are fertile ground for state lawmakers this session. Bills they also propose include making a joint risk analysis of generative AI and changes to the California Cybersecurity Maturity Metric.

Cities and states are working on novel solutions to old, intractable problems. Governing magazine’s return to print showcases stories of the people who are making them work across the country.

Jason Benshoof, Nevada’s first-ever state chief data officer, said teamwork among agencies will help keep data initiatives in line with community priorities. A state staffer since 2009, he was named CDO Feb. 12.

Reducing vehicle miles is the most powerful way to cut greenhouse gas emissions, an executive at StreetLight Data said. Its new 2024 U.S. Transportation Climate Impact Index ranks the nation’s 100 most populous metropolitan areas.

Complete bans, age verification and new online tools are in play as government, the tech industry and parents contend for influence and control in determining how to keep minors safe online.