Policy

The recent fortunes of local initiatives reveal a shifting landscape in U.S. transportation policy — driven by political, economic and environmental factors. What lies ahead is, as yet, unclear.

The new three-year technology road map will serve state government as a whole. It builds on the work of a previous plan, Vision 2023, said state CIO Liana Bailey-Crimmins, director of the California Department of Technology.

A bill introduced by Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Jefferson County, would require the Alabama Department of Education and local districts to adopt a policy for the 2026-27 school year restricting cellphone use during the day.

State and local transportation leaders discussed ideas intended to coax motorists away from driving alone at the CoMotion LA conference. The 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles are looming as tech and policy options develop.

A Northern District judge threw out a lawsuit Nov. 13 alleging a trucking company violated the state Biometric Information Privacy Act. She ruled a clarification to Illinois' biometric data privacy law from state lawmakers earlier this year limits the size of damages that can be claimed.

A final deal with GlobalFoundries will expand a chipmaking plant in Saratoga County, N.Y., and update a smaller plant in Vermont. It’s the second final deal this week from the CHIPS and Science Act, which is providing $39 billion to chipmakers for U.S. production.

California’s education budget is on track to offer one-time funding that schools could use to bolster cybersecurity. At the same time, new state laws are granting schools more autonomy in regulation of technology.

A new survey of federal chief data officers conducted by the Data Foundation and Deloitte reveals the need for more governmentwide clarity and guidance in the face of rapid artificial intelligence growth.

Easterly was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead the agency. The precise timing of her departure is unclear, but is expected to take place in advance of the incoming President-elect Donald J. Trump administration.

Author Fern Tiger discusses how genuinely connecting with communities before launching projects can drive progress by ensuring feedback is more than surface-level. Tailoring engagement can shape more accurate policies.

A federal framework for self-driving vehicles could be on the horizon, people in President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team have reportedly told advisers. Such rules could potentially facilitate the wider deployment of cars without human controls.

Experts at a Congressional Internet Caucus Academy briefing this week explored the role artificial intelligence played in the 2024 election, and the ways policy helped to reduce its negative impacts.

Michigan lawmakers have approved a bill that exempts data centers which make at least $250 million in capital investment from sales and uses taxes on equipment through at least 2050.

A former federal telecommunications official said it is unlikely Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funding will be clawed back and work disrupted. Infrastructure could, however, become more tech-neutral.

A new series of recommendations from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is designed to enable cloud providers, AI developers, public-sector entities and others to integrate AI while balancing risk and opportunity.

The National League of Cities released a report this week outlining strategic ways municipalities are using artificial intelligence to better serve constituents. An accompanying toolkit aims to facilitate analysis.

The city and county of Denver has chosen to hire from within for the role, which was created this summer. Sean Greer, Denver's IT director of service delivery, was selected and started work this week.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s blueprint, Driving U.S. Innovation in Artificial Intelligence, may live on in the next Congress. But, tech and data privacy experts said proposed legislation coming out of it may undergo changes and favor industry.