California CIO Amy Tong this week unveiled a state IT modernization plan, creation of a new technology innovation office, and a series of broadband initiatives at the California Department of Technology’s (CDT) annual Vendor Day program.

State and local governments are on the front lines of delivering economic recovery from the pandemic. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley emphasized the role technology will play in helping cities and states come back from the pandemic recession faster, stronger, and more equitably during a live webinar on June 15.

Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Angus King, I-Maine, introduced a bipartisan bill that aims to close the digital divide and promote “digital equity” utilizing $250 million in annual grants, according to a press release.

The Education Department released guidance this month which intended to provide strategies for the safe operation of higher education institutions, as well as address the impact of COVID-19 on higher education students, faculty, and staff. Among other issues, the guidance specifically addressed helping higher education navigate online learning in a pandemic and broadband and device access for students, faculty, and staff.

Denver is hopping on the app-based voting bandwagon ahead of the 2020 elections.

In times of emergency, state governors have regularly called in the National Guard, for reasons such as assisting the recovery after natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 or to suppress protests in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014. If voting systems are under siege, should they do the same?

About five years ago, many law enforcement officials wondered if the cloud was safe enough to hold their data. Now the FBI, the nation’s top law enforcement agency, is considering a move to a large-scale, commercial software cloud provider.

As the new year gets underway, MeriTalk is looking back to some of the top innovators in Federal, state, and local cybersecurity. At the Symantec Government Symposium, MeriTalk’s founder Steve O’Keeffe sat down with the 2017 Cyber Award winners to discuss their success, and what they learned as they worked to stay ahead of cyber threats.  

A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate just before the Christmas break aimed at protecting American elections from foreign cyberattacks has been getting generally positive reviews from security professionals.

Dave Weinstein, who became New Jersey’s first chief technology officer (CTO) in June 2016, confirmed he would resign today when incoming Gov. Phil Murphy takes his oath of office.