Policy

The American Federation of Teachers and two other labor unions have sued the Education Department for violating federal privacy laws by granting DOGE access to the agency's data systems.

This comes at a time when getting a vet appointment can be a lengthy process due to a shortage of veterinary services nationwide, the retirement of older veterinarians, high turnover and increased demand.

ED laid off nearly half of its employees this week. Sources say the cuts have dismantled the Office of Educational Technology, which produced the National Education Technology Plan, among other resources.

Plankey briefly served the first Trump administration as a National Security Council director, and is a former deputy CIO to the U.S. Navy. His experience aligns with the agency’s mission to protect critical infrastructure.

As public agencies craft policies for artificial intelligence, Darwin is selling tools that can help officials plan their AI deployments and keep them in compliance. The funding comes amid bans for China’s DeepSeek.

Centralized IT shops are meant to avoid the kind of gov tech debacles that make the news. But they also, argues state IT veteran Dan Kim, bog down the process and stand in the way of innovation.

A bill from state Sen. Tom Umberg seeks to ensure companies collecting such information use it only for the purpose for which it was collected. Once that is done, the data must also be deleted.

Data centers are starting to set up across Texas, and they require more electricity to power their scores of hard drives and AI computing than what is needed by entire municipalities.

The state’s Broadband Development Office is advising entities that are considering applying to await clarification on the program’s future.

An executive order from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro follows actions from a number of states seeking to inform and attract former government employees to join their ranks. The moves come after many thousands of federal layoffs.

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would empower energy regulators to make sure homes and small businesses aren’t burdened with those financial obligations. It would create a new class of utility customer.

Aiming to reignite a long-dormant nuclear energy industry, a lawmaker in the state House is proposing to create taxpayer-funded incentive programs to build nuclear power plants in Texas.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont asked Yale instructors and students to study artificial intelligence policies across the U.S. and come back with insights and advice. Their 50-slide presentation informed what he did next.

As the role of the CIO continues to emerge and evolve, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers looks at how business architecture can be leveraged in ongoing transformation.

Plus, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance launched a map of affiliates, Utah libraries have new digital resources, and broadband legislation — one of which addresses the future of the BEAD program — has been introduced.

In Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi and New Jersey, lawmakers hope to advance cybersecurity through new legislation to modernize IT infrastructure, protect data and prepare agencies for future digital challenges.

Bernice Bond is taking the helm of the state Department of Information Technology’s Enterprise Security and Risk Management Office, after serving as CISO at a global research firm. She started her new role this week.

In the absence of comprehensive federal legislation on artificial intelligence, states have taken policymaking into their own hands, leading to a varied legislative landscape. Doing so, however, can clarify the rules of the road.