https://statetechmagazine.com/ en https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/11/starlink-low-earth-orbit-satellite-connectivity-and-how-state-agencies-can-write-smarter-rfps State and local agencies increasingly rely on low earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet to address connectivity gaps in rural and remote regions (where bandwidth may be limited) and urban environments (where traditional networks are saturated or unreliable). As demand grows, procurement teams are being challenged to write requests for proposals that allow flexibility, encourage competition and ensure agencies receive solutions that truly fit their operational needs. Based on real-world deployments across public safety, transportation and emergency management, several best practices have… Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:52:08 -0500 CDW Staff https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/11/starlink-low-earth-orbit-satellite-connectivity-and-how-state-agencies-can-write-smarter-rfps https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/11/states-congress-dont-pull-back-cybersecurity-funding-ai-raises-stakes State technology leaders urged Congress to continue investing in state and local cybersecurity during a May hearing before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection, warning that artificial intelligence is making cyberattacks faster and more sophisticated. Officials from Florida, New York and Tennessee called for reauthorization of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, saying it has helped governments strengthen defenses while extending security services to smaller jurisdictions with limited resources. “Our states are on the front lines… Mon, 02 Nov 2026 18:24:24 -0500 Mickey McCarter https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/11/states-congress-dont-pull-back-cybersecurity-funding-ai-raises-stakes https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/closing-whole-state-cybersecurity-gap Most state government CISOs see a whole-of-state cybersecurity approach — where the state shares security services, threat intelligence and response support with local partners — as an effective way to counter increasingly sophisticated AI-driven attacks. So why aren’t more doing it? It’s not because they don’t want to. In the 2026 NASCIO-Deloitte Cybersecurity Study, 73% of respondents favored centralizing operations to share security services and support with local governments and other partners. Instead, it’s because they’re paralyzed by a combination of legacy technology, political… Fri, 30 Oct 2026 15:59:19 -0400 Francisco Ramirez https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/closing-whole-state-cybersecurity-gap https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/how-state-and-local-agencies-can-cut-cloud-costs-without-slowing-modernization After years of experience with cloud computing, state and local IT leaders are now focused on fine-tuning their workloads between on-premises and cloud environments. The question is not whether to use cloud computing, but which workloads go in the cloud and which go in the agency data center. These hybrid models are based on economic realities: Neither cloud nor on-premises is always less expensive. Agency IT leaders should place applications and data where the total lifecycle cost is lowest. That decision goes beyond monthly cloud invoices and must balance budget, mission and operational… Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:54:26 -0400 Joel Snyder https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/how-state-and-local-agencies-can-cut-cloud-costs-without-slowing-modernization https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-government-transformation-starts-strong-technology-foundation Government technology leaders have long been tasked with balancing innovation against the realities of aging infrastructure, constrained budgets and growing citizen expectations. Today, however, those challenges are converging in new ways. The rise of artificial intelligence, increasing demands for digital services and the need for stronger cybersecurity have elevated government transformation from a technology initiative to a strategic imperative. Transformation is often discussed in terms of individual projects: migrating applications to the cloud, modernizing networks, deploying AI tools… Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:43:55 -0400 Mickey McCarter https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-government-transformation-starts-strong-technology-foundation https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/interoperability-action-how-indiana-and-firstnet-supported-texas-flood-search-and-rescue-efforts In the aftermath of the catastrophic July 2025 flooding along the Guadalupe River in Central Texas, the hard work of recovery unfolded amid immense loss and destruction. Torrential rains transformed riverbanks into debris fields, damaged critical infrastructure and displaced entire communities. As local agencies moved from immediate lifesaving efforts into sustained search and rescue, help began arriving from beyond the Texas border. Firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, technical rescue specialists and canine teams from across the country converged on the… Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:59:46 -0400 John Hunt https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/interoperability-action-how-indiana-and-firstnet-supported-texas-flood-search-and-rescue-efforts https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/ai-state-government-moving-pilots-operational-impact-perfcon State governments have spent the past several years experimenting with artificial intelligence. From generative AI assistants and chatbots to tools for fraud detection, citizen services and policy analysis, they’ve explored what is possible. Now they need to turn their promising pilots into sustainable, operational capabilities. A number of states — including California, Maryland, Colorado and Georgia — have led the way in successfully transforming government AI implementations from initial pilots to ongoing projects. And their use cases offer practical strategies for success, highlighting… Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:20:20 -0400 Adam Stone https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/ai-state-government-moving-pilots-operational-impact-perfcon https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/how-state-and-local-governments-should-approach-data-exfiltration-prevention-perfcon Recently, a bad actor tricked an organization’s help desk through social engineering, using a deepfake generated by artificial intelligence. Within 39 seconds of gaining access to the organization’s network, the attacker stole millions of records. “That is mind-blowing,” says Troy Bettencourt, vice president of digital forensics and incident response at Palo Alto Networks. “Once the threat actor had access to the environment, within 39 seconds, they dumped millions of records and were gone.” This case demonstrates how little time defenders may have once an attacker gains unauthorized access… Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:14:29 -0400 Jessica Balen https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/how-state-and-local-governments-should-approach-data-exfiltration-prevention-perfcon https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-employee-experience-becoming-ai-strategy State and local governments have made significant progress preparing for artificial intelligence. Across the country, agencies are modernizing infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity, improving data governance and developing policies to guide responsible AI use. These foundational investments are essential for moving AI from pilot projects to enterprise capabilities. Yet many organizations are overlooking another prerequisite for AI success: the day-to-day experience of the employees expected to use these new tools. AI is often discussed as a technology initiative, but its value… Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:28:53 -0400 Tony Sivore https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-employee-experience-becoming-ai-strategy https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-state-cios-should-expect-change-and-lean-their-peers Do you know the unofficial motto of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers? I know that you’re thinking it’s “If you’ve seen one state … you’ve seen one state.” That one is definitely on the greatest hits list, but the motto on our team is “Expect surprises.” Many have tried to sum that up over time, but one of the best was Benjamin Franklin, who wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” A more modern take comes from the lyricist André Benjamin, who said, “You can plan a pretty picnic but you can’t predict the weather.” I think you… Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:42:39 -0400 Meredith Ward https://statetechmagazine.com/article/2026/10/why-state-cios-should-expect-change-and-lean-their-peers