State Government

Like many states, preparing for cyber incidents in Massachusetts includes everything from response planning to getting leadership and other departments engaged to disbursing funding to local governments.

In 2022, leading states are breaking down information silos and assessing the data for more informed decision-making, and elevating efforts to keep all this data secure in a challenging cybersecurity environment.

The federal funding will be distributed over five fiscal years for the construction and operation of direct-current fast charging stations along federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors.

Two years in, the relatively young IT agency is working to build a team, build trust and build up, says CIO Jamie Grant. The process has required a significant shift away from "business as usual."

This week, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order that establishes a new Cybersecurity Planning Committee to guide the state. The group will include officials from state, local and tribal government.

A group of technology-related bills were recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as the deadline to sign or veto legislation nears. The bills, now law, ranged from cybersecurity and transportation to electronic prescription drug tracking.

From “cloud first” to “cloud smart,” public-sector agencies have been moving systems off-premises for years. CIOs reflect on what is in the cloud, what can be and what it takes to make the leap.

The Urban Institute’s new report around autonomous vehicles advises they have the potential to greatly improve the transportation systems in the United States, with the proposed set of regulatory controls and incentives.

The recently announced funds will be used to expand cybersecurity and IT education programs across the state to help grow the state's high-tech workforce. The money is part of a larger $30 million workforce training push.

The four-year-old software-as-a-service provider sells technology that can handle not only titles and auto registrations but liens and insurance issues. DMVs around the country are striving to acquire better technology.

Plus, the NTIA has updated its guide for federal broadband funding; New York City is offering free municipal broadband to housing authority residents; a new paper explores telehealth’s impact on maternal health; and more.

The autonomous transportation projects being lead by the Minnesota Department of Transportation are testing not the technology, but the use cases these new forms of mobility can serve.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation approved $52.5 million in funding for the state to build on its existing base of electric vehicle chargers over the next two years.

Gov. Jared Polis announced that a cryptocurrency payment option will be offered on all state tax bills — including individual and business incomes — during a kickoff event for Denver Startup Week, which began Monday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed one piece of tech legislation into law and has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the other bills that have cleared the statehouse, including several related to IT and cybersecurity.

Some 34,000 voting machines and 4,000 ballot scanners are being tested ahead of the November elections. Concerns about election integrity and security have been high despite the lack of evidence of manipulation or errors.

The Department of Homeland Security released the long-anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. A separate NOFO for the Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program will follow.

Plus, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for a program that will invest $1 billion in rural high-speed Internet, Tennessee has announced $447 million in broadband investments, and more.