New Mexico opens grant fund to invest in new businesses

The state’s $150 million Research, Development & Deployment Fund invests in early-stage companies in emerging industries, as a complement to any federal funding received.

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New York data center pause inspires strong reactions

President Donald Trump was among the first to criticize Gov. Kathy Hochul’s one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers, along with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and others.

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Feds call on more states to make network vandalism a felony

Currently, 28 states classify vandalizing telecommunications equipment as a more severe crime. FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty called on the remaining 22 to follow their lead.

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How Maryland embraced government efficiency

The state has looked to improve its service delivery both for its residents and the employees who administer those programs, including in major initiatives like benefits.

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Judge reinstates digital equity grants

The $2.75 billion program under the Digital Equity Act can and should proceed, a judge ruled, but it cannot use race when considering recipients.

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Governors ban state employees from insider trading on prediction markets

More state leaders are either banning or severely curtailing workers from using nonpublic information to profit on the platforms amid worries of wagering on government actions.

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Feds tie counterterrorism grants to election security measures

The new guidance from FEMA would require states to take various steps on elections before receiving funds. Government groups criticized the move as an overreach.

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New York governor signs nation’s first moratorium on large data centers

Kathy Hochul said the one-year ban on hyperscale data centers comes alongside an effort to establish standards for their development and prevent residents footing the bill.

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Beeck Center leader reflects on ‘bipartisan opportunity’ for government efficiency

Efforts at the federal level generated a lot of headlines, but at the state level, where the goal is delivery, a lot more progress can be made, said the head of the Georgetown University-based center.

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Illinois governor signs major AI safety law

The legislation requires large developers to identify, disclose and mitigate risks, protects whistleblowers and — in a national first — mandates regular third-party audits.

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How Texas modernized a ‘train wreck’ customer service center

The licensing division of the state’s Department of Public Safety left people on hold, sometimes for hours, until it modernized its systems and broke down siloes.

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Libraries lament ‘cascading effects’ of E-Rate’s potential demise

Advocates warned the FCC’s vote to review the program could blow massive holes in their budgets and force service reductions or even closures if new funding sources aren’t found.

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How Kansas’ labor department’s tech became ‘built for tomorrow’

The state was reliant on 1970s-era systems that were exposed by COVID-19. Since then, it has moved to the cloud and embraced AI as part of a major modernization push.

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Inside Indiana’s cybersecurity education expansion

The initiative is the first in the nation to also strive to connect students with military service, in addition to careers and higher education.

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Worries mount about another state AI law preemption

Another federal bill — this time in the Great American AI Act — has state lawmakers on edge that Congress will once again try to take away their powers to legislate.

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Feds praise BEAD’s progress, but others aren’t convinced

The NTIA touted the program’s first-ever connections and said more is to follow. Some Democrats in Congress said the agency is being evasive about what happens to leftover funds.

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Former New Jersey official argues AI could strengthen, not weaken, democratic institutions

Beth Simone Noveck, a former top AI official in New Jersey, recently released a new book that explains how the technology can help government work better and restore trust in it.

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Cyber framework harmonization is a thorny, yet not intractable issue, experts say

Those inside and outside government agree harmonizing and streamline cyber regulations would save time and compliance costs. A consensus might be emerging around what to do next.

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New federal privacy bill called a ‘consensus’ of existing state laws

Congress is trying again for a national data privacy standard that would preempt current regulations in 22 states, but opponents argue a patchwork is better than this effort.

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Policies to close digital divide must pass ‘kitchen table test,’ nonprofits say

Several groups said communities that lack connectivity must be the ones to shape policies to benefit them, and they urged the federal government to step up with money and training.

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Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime

Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, said students are “drowning in tech” that is disrupting their lives, and policymakers need to get a handle on it.

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Massachusetts establishes nation’s first union for ride-hailing drivers

The state’s almost 70,000 drivers can now join the App Driver’s Union, following voter approval of the right to unionize in November 2024 via ballot question.

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Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack

Security company Gambit said the March hack could be traced to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, rather than a hacktivist group that had previously claimed responsibility.

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Disability advocates sue over website accessibility delays

The National Federation of the Blind sued the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services after a rule requiring government websites to be accessible was delayed for a year.

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State leaders renew call for cyber grant program’s renewal

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is facing down a September deadline for reauthorization. Without it, officials warned that current efforts would lose momentum.

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Website accessibility remains ‘slow-moving crisis’ despite rule delay, experts warn

Disability advocates are dismayed about the DOJ's one-year delay on its rule, while government leaders are calling for accessibility work to accelerate ahead of the new deadline.

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How Mississippi’s revenue department optimized tech without cloud

The effort has not been without its challenges, but the agency responsible for taxes, software and alcohol now has “modularity and fungibility” to adapt.

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How Broadcom’s VMware buy meant a ‘fundamental shift’ for county tech

Leaders said the 2023 acquisition has led to negative changes in licenses, pricing and support, with many now considering moving away from the longtime vendor.

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State CIOs are more change leaders than techies, report says

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers found its members are being asked to simultaneously keep systems running and innovate, with tech expertise far less important.

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State cyber officials’ confidence is down, survey finds

The study by NASCIO and Deloitte found that just 26% of respondents are extremely or very confident they can protect themselves from cyber threats, down from 48% in 2022.

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