An executive order by California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks to boost oversight of the tech, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s order tightens data center standards.

The House passed a bill to mandate that state regulators have a strategy to have large consumers pay for their own power. But plenty of work lies ahead.

Crystal Sprague, the director of innovation and performance in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, said her Service to the Citizen honor comes amid massive upheaval and change.

More than 20 states now accept mobile driver’s licenses but there is relatively low uptake among residents.

While some acknowledged the rollout was a little “chaotic” at times, experts said it has helped states and cities think a lot more about how they manage their skies.

The four local governments said the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to tie the grants to election security measures were unconstitutional, as states run elections, not the feds.

The Iowa Data Center Decision Tool helps communities decide if data centers are right for them by identifying key questions they should ask about a project’s impact.

Now a senior advisor at World Wide Technology, Vitaliy Panych said his aim was always to make everyone a “risk practitioner,” while managing an enormous state infrastructure.

Researchers found that over half of those projects will need at least 10 permits, while 1 in 7 will require more than 20 across the state, local and federal levels.

Researchers at New York University found that 97.5% of existing data centers sit in metro areas, counter to the industry narrative that most are in rural regions.

What began as an effort by three fellows at the Aspen Institute resulted in a push to bring more transparency around how data centers consume water in the state.

Amid the explosive growth of platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, Tribal leaders said they undermine sovereignty and represent a major threat to gaming in Indian Country.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

House Republican leaders unveiled two new bills last week in the latest federal attempt to regulate data privacy, preempting states’ existing laws.

The Tennessee city has long been a leader in innovation, and Tim Kelly said there is more to come in the Gig City as it looks to “level up.”

Covered California said the tech will now be used for more than two dozen document types to speed up checking eligibility while reducing fraud, waste and abuse at the same time.

Amy Edwards Holmes, who will lead the state’s Capacity and Efficiency Initiative, said the effort will look to leverage tech and empower employees to save $100 million in three years.

A group sympathetic to the regime claimed responsibility for a hack on the Los Angeles Metro, while the federal government is warning of ongoing vulnerabilities in some systems.

Residents in a Wisconsin city already passed a measure to restrict their development, while others may follow, including a statewide effort in Ohio.

Agencies are burdened with growing numbers of requests and more records to manage and parse through. Emerging technology offers a way forward for beleaguered staff.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers found the role exists in more than 30 states and plays a crucial role, but it too often lacks funding or clear authority.