The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of changes – from public health to remote work – but investing in technology upgrades to improve citizen services and cybersecurity could lead to the most lasting impact on state and local governments (SLGs), according to several state IT officials who spoke at MeriTalk’s State Tech Vision virtual event on March 29.

New legislation introduced by Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and John Cornyn, R-Texas would codify into Federal law the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program, and provide for a pilot program for state and local governments to deploy the cybersecurity technologies that the CDM program offers.

President Biden signed the fiscal year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill today that will keep the Federal government funded through Sept. 30.

A new report published by the non-profit K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX) finds that while the number of publicly-disclosed cyber incidents at K-12 schools decreased in 2021, the actual number is “surely bleaker,” emphasizing the need for more and better information sharing about K-12 cyber incidents.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, along with the mayors of Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers, unveiled the new Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) to bolster New York State’s ability to combat cybersecurity threats and attacks.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched a new webpage featuring a catalog of free cybersecurity tools and resources that the agency hopes will serve as a “one-stop resource where organizations of all sizes can find free public and private sector resources to reduce their cybersecurity risk.”

The National Science Foundation (NSF) plans to invest in eight new CyberCorps Scholarship for Service projects to address the demand for dedicated cybersecurity professionals, particularly in government agencies.

The Senate this week approved legislation sponsored by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, which would promote stronger cybersecurity coordination between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state and local governments.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the City of Los Angeles announced they have launched “LA Secure,” a free mobile application that will improve the cybersecurity of Metro riders and city residents, keeping them safe online.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Biden signed last November represented a win for state and local governments (SLG), with the inclusion of a $1 billion cybersecurity grant program targeted at improving SLGs’ cybersecurity posture.