New legislation introduced in the Senate today would authorize $100 million of Federal spending per year, for a period of seven years, to help state and local governments take quick action on fixing pressing IT problems.

Senators Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on May 18 reintroduced the Rural Broadband Financing Flexibility Act that would provide a boost in rural broadband investment to state and local governments.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed state Senate Bill 193 that will allocate $280 million for this fiscal year from the state’s Advancement and Technology Fund to spend on improvements to classroom technology and infrastructure.

Following the recent ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline Company, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., proposed a bill last week that would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish a National Cyber Exercise Program to test the United States’ cyber readiness.

To close the broadband divide in both urban and rural America, the Federal government must focus on providing significant funding, ensuring accurate data, and work to ensure equity is baked into broadband expansion plans.

In a move to close the digital divide for both students and adults, the Miami-Dade (Fla.) Public Library System (MDPLS) launched a new Tablet Lending Program.

The Department of Education has launched an outreach campaign to alert K-12 and higher education students that they are eligible for a monthly discount on broadband internet service.

As part of its campuswide digital transformation efforts, Loyola University New Orleans is partnering with Ellucian, a higher education technology solutions provider.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it has granted additional spectrum licenses for Tribal lands.

Representatives on the House Homeland Security Committee reintroduced legislation May 12 that would create a $500 million-per-year Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant program to help incentivize state and local governments (SLGs) to improve cybersecurity funding.