State Government

Officials in the Garden State have unveiled two new artificial intelligence initiatives, the Next New Jersey Program — AI and the AI Innovation Challenge Administration Grant Program. Both encourage private-sector investment.

Markets around the world have been reactive to recent U.S. tariff announcements and rollbacks. State officials are concerned trade friction with other nations could lead to equipment shortages and contract turbulence.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Program will continue operating with an 11-month continuation of its federal contract. It will ultimately transition to the newly launched CVE Foundation.

In remarks Tuesday at the California CIO Academy in Sacramento, state CIO Liana Bailey-Crimmins highlighted the response to this year’s Los Angeles wildfires as an example of a human-centered response to a crisis.

The state’s budget for fiscal year 2026 includes a new 3 percent taxation on information technology and data services. Officials said it aims to fill tax structure gaps as the market sees a shift from products to services.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of the Connectivity Innovation — Mobile Service Request for Applications to identify new ways of expanding reliable cellphone service in New York state.

The states’ departments of transportation are teaming up to test the autonomous driving technique, which uses technology to let the driver of the first truck control the speed and direction of the second.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate talked about the federal government’s changes to cybersecurity funding and said he “would not want to see” programs go away. The state, he said, does “count a lot on those cyber protections.”

An informative event last week hosted attendees from law enforcement, the judicial system, private businesses and educational institutions such as Troy University, Wallace Community College and local high schools.

Ragle brings more than two decades of experience to the role of state CIO, including in leadership roles managing enterprise applications and the state technology budget for the Department of Innovation and Technology.

States are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into their employment platforms to help connect job seekers to opportunities. The impacts on their workforce, officials have said, are tangible.

State Police have spent more than $40 million during the last two years to buy 2,000 body cameras, software, and expanded-view cameras for 1,400 patrol vehicles. All personnel are now equipped, weeks ahead of time.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has reported a cyber attack that is affecting communications and operations including vehicle inspections. Some services will be shuttered through the weekend.

The provider of procurement, budgeting and grant technology last year changed its name from City Innovate. The company plans on more hiring and research and development, and has released an AI product.

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.

The National Association of State Procurement Officials has partnered with the Work for America initiative to help seasoned professionals connect with public-sector career opportunities. Their experience may be valuable.

Chief information officers from a handful of state education departments have come together to form a data-sharing collaborative to create interoperable education data systems and pool their knowledge and resources.

A report from the Center for Democracy and Technology provides suggestions for government in building an inclusive artificial intelligence ecosystem, to help ensure its tools serve people equitably.