Washington

The legislation would create an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to convene technology experts and other stakeholders, and address areas of concern around AI. It’s expected to head to the governor’s desk this week for a signature.

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.

Affected systems have been taken offline as officials work to fix it, and the city's website was inaccessible Monday, with Coeur d'Alene's mayor, Jim Hammond, confirming the city's phone system was down.

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed an executive order requiring state agencies to make guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence that mimics the human brain to create new pictures, words, sounds and videos.

The U.S. General Services Administration has chosen to collaborate with four states to pilot a text notification platform geared toward enhancing internal and external communication surrounding federal benefits services.

As Government Technology reflected on another year in the books, we asked state CIOs: What stood out for you in 2023?

More than 8,500 applicants to the University of Washington this fall chose computer science as their first-choice major, with hundreds more transferring from other majors or the state's community college network.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the grant funding, allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to propel digital construction tools such as computer modeling and 3D design in 10 state DOTs.

Parts of the Washington Department of Transportation's website have been down since Tuesday following what officials described as a cybersecurity incident aimed at disrupting the flow of travel information.

A week before Election Day, state elections officials say they haven't been able to convince three Washington counties to install a security device that monitors county network traffic for threats.

Washington CIO Bill Kehoe and Chief of Staff Amy Pearson explain that while their agency is fully remote and even hiring out-of-state talent, they still find ways to bring staff together on big projects.

Washington’s first chief data officer, Irene Vidyanti, outlines the three main components of the state’s nascent enterprise data program, which will ultimately work together in a “symbiotic relationship.”

The project includes 134 miles of line construction, funded through a $23.5 million grant from the Washington State Broadband Office and an additional $2.35 million matching funds from ISP ToledoTel.

Plus, New Mexico’s broadband director is retiring, California has a new public broadband services bill and applications are open for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s 2023 digital trailblazers program.

Government agencies are working to conform to a changing social media landscape these days, with Twitter’s rebranding to X — among other things — presenting challenges.

Recently passed and proposed legislation across the country is bolstering telehealth expansion by redefining telehealth benefit specifications, enabling coverage across state lines and eliminating patient care obstacles for medical professionals.

The effort to transition Washington state ferries from diesel engines to hybrid-electric power is proving to be more expensive than originally thought. So far, both quotes for the work have exceeded the initial $120 million state estimate.

The state auditor’s office’s new program offers local governments quick assessments of their cyber postures, plus advice for improving. This can help governments get ready while on the waitlist for the state’s more in-depth cyber audits.