State Government

Plus, Maine is the first state to have its digital equity plan accepted, the NTCA is calling for a more effective challenge process for the national broadband map, and more.

Lawmakers in the state are rushing to stop malicious computer-generated spoofs ahead of the 2024 presidential election with legislation to criminalize deepfakes and deceptive robocalls.

North Carolina is making $14 million available to nonprofits, government agencies and others as part of the Digital Champion grants to expand digital equity. Some 230 applicants have applied.

As the state of South Dakota works to transform outdated IT systems, enhance cybersecurity and explore emerging technologies, state IT leadership is keeping the citizens’ experience at the heart of these efforts.

A plan to limit police use of facial recognition technology is likely to pass in this year’s session of the General Assembly. The bill would allow police to use the tools to investigate violent crimes and serious offenses.

Federal law enforcement and cybersecurity officials are warning the nation’s state election administrators that they face serious threats ahead of November’s presidential election.

A new proposal in the state Legislature could claw back $40 million in local government cybersecurity grants. The move would be a substantial blow to the state’s Local Government Cybersecurity Grant program.

This week, Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order to establish the Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force in order to better understand the potential impacts of AI and GenAI.

Plus, the state of Washington has appointed Aaron Wheeler to serve as the new broadband director, a digital navigator pilot program has been launched in the city of Cambridge, Mass., and more.

The questionable reliability of charging infrastructure in the state has been a pain point for EV drivers that threatens to hurt adoption and the state’s broader climate goals if not addressed.

The Pennsylvania court online operations have returned to normal following a disruptive cyber attack. The attack disabled access to online dockets, PACFile, PAePay and the Guardianship Tracking System, among other disruptions.

A malware attack on the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender has forced it to shut down its computer network. Public defenders are blocked from their work computers and electronic court dockets and filings.

The startup brings public officials together to share expertise and advice about cybersecurity, elections management and other issues that can challenge government agencies. Veterans of Mark43 help run the company.

Following the lead of Nevada and other states, two state senators say they will introduce a bill giving the state CIO a seat at the cabinet table. The move comes amid growing concerns about cybersecurity.

Ashley Bloom, the state's first chief IT accessibility officer, shared that she is approaching the role with the mindset that accessibility should be integrated into all of the state's IT work.

In the job for just more than three years, Askins now has a job with a telecommunications firm based in the South. Among the issues he has tackled are artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data migration.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is aligning with national trends on AI regulation, establishing a task force via executive order to examine the current and future applications of the technology in state government.

California’s largest state employee union fell victim to a ransomware attack last month that likely exposed Social Security numbers, home addresses, birth dates and other sensitive information.