At the NASCIO Midyear Conference, state accessibility officers gave states a call to action: prioritize website upgrades to meet upcoming federal accessibility deadlines. In an interview with Government Technology, Marie Cohan, Texas’ statewide digital accessibility program administrator, said “It’s got a lot of us scrambling, some folks were already kind of ahead of that, a lot of people are just trying to catch up and a lot of people are just being caught or blindsided because they have a very immature program right now.” The Department of Justice’s April 2024 rule clarified and strengthened accessibility requirements for state and local government websites and mobile apps under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Government Accountability Office found that while many state governments used the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, state leaders worry about sustained funding. According to a GAO report, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program helped fund 839 state and local cybersecurity projects as of Aug. 1, 2024, reported Route Fifty on April 30. The grant funds come from the 2021 infrastructure law, but money for the program runs out in September. According to the Government Accountability Office’s synopsis on April 29, “States and territories that received funds had positive feedback for the program but were concerned about sustaining funding for cybersecurity projects once the program ends.”
West Virginia ranks number 33 overall for all states and Puerto Rico in the 2024 State Occupational Licensing Index from the Archbridge Institute and the Knee Regulatory Research Center; the score places the state thirty-third among states for the highest occupational licensing burden. Besides the overall ranking, the report also features a state profile ranking that puts states in one of five quintiles. West Virginia ranks four in the quintile system, with one the “most occupational licensing” and five the “least occupational licensing.” The quintile system reviews several factors, including barriers and licenses, along with universal recognition reforms. The licensing index, released in August, contains information on 284 occupations.
Other overall rankings include Connecticut at number 34.
See a listing of all state rankings in the latest edition of the State Occupational Licensing Index.
Gov. Cox Signs Executive Order to Launch GRIT, Utah’s Take on DOGE
Governor Spencer Cox signed an executive order to launch a new government efficiency initiative named GRIT — Utah’s version of the DOGE program.
AI Report from NASCIO Conference Touts Power of Failure
According to a new report highlighted at the recent National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Midyear Conference in Philadelphia, successful state-run artificial intelligence initiatives often rely on “structured, well-labeled data” and also learn and improve from failure.
Artificial Intelligence Can Help Government Be More Accessible
AI offers the potential to advance government accessibility goals. Two state accessibility officers share their insights on its promise and the pitfalls to watch out for.
