State Government

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has introduced two new pieces of legislation: one to protect consumers from the costs of AI data centers and one that would establish an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights.

A new policy guide from the nonprofit Public Citizen is intended to support the public sector with concrete recommendations on transparent data center projects that are respectful to residents.

It’s not whether there will be one, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon said, but what the fallout will be “when it does pop.” Officials project a $164 million general fund budget surplus for the current fiscal year.

The state will join others in establishing a C-level artificial intelligence leadership role, as officials look to expand the use of AI tools under clear governance expectations, while ensuring that work follows state priorities.

The federal measure, which has been referred to committee, would continue the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program that has supported state, local, tribal and territorial governments since 2022.

The U.S. Digital Response, a civic tech organization, has announced the recipients of its 2025 Digital Service Champions Awards, which honor state and local government modernization efforts.

The Washington State Broadband Office has a new director, Jordan Arnold, who previously served as a senior policy adviser on broadband within the Biden administration. She will start in January.

The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority has led a rebrand of the Amtrak San Joaquins rail service to the Gold Runner. The endeavor, which follows the electrification of Caltrain, is intended to improve connectivity.

The cyber corps is mobilizing volunteers as the state continues to fortify its overall cybersecurity posture and work toward filling its coverage gaps, officials have announced.

TPWD’s new internal AI policy outlines rules for the responsible use of generative AI tools by agency staff. All AI tools must be approved by the IT Division, with strict limits on high-risk use cases.

A state Senate proposal would create a pilot program mandating three years of testing with human drivers for autonomous cabs. Among their criticism, opponents said it would create an “unnecessary barrier.”

Stolen data from the data breach was published online as emergency management and law enforcement officials in jurisdictions across the country took their subscriptions offline.

The new plan from the Tennessee AI Advisory Council lays out four strategic pillars of focus — on pilots, infrastructure, workforce development and governance — to modernize services and strengthen the economy.

A state system that put in place sensors and video analytics to detect wrong-way vehicles has resulted in nearly 83 percent self-correcting. The technology was installed starting in August 2023.

Officials are working with InnovateUS to train public employees statewide on working with AI. Empowering people, CIO Shawnzia Thomas said, is a significant part of achieving digital transformation.

The state lost out on $1 billion through the data center exemption in fiscal 2024, up from $685 million in fiscal 2023, according to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

Three tech executives describe similar challenges across jurisdictions — from replacing lost federal tools to bridging information silos among agencies, utilities and communities.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved the state’s final proposal for how it would spend funds it received through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.