Alan Fuller (Utah CIO) and Mark Raymond (Connecticut CIO) testified before the U.S. House on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program on April 1. They shared the programs’ role in addressing critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities. In a March 31 press release, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers stated that: “NASCIO supports reauthorization of this important grant program and looks forward to working with Congress to assist states in protecting critical technology infrastructure.” NASCIO’s 2025 Federal Advocacy Priorities include: Ensure Responsible Implementation of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. In that brief NASCIO cites that for the past 10 years, cybersecurity remains the top priority for states.
J.R. Sloan, Arizona’s State Chief Information Officer and GovRAMP Board President, called the forecast for GovRAMP’s future with FedRAMP a “tight relationship.” He shared that view on March 27 during GovRAMP’s webinar—A Discussion on FedRAMP Changes: What It Means for You. Sloan explained that in that future he sees GovRAMP demonstrating to FedRAMP and the system at large that GovRAMP offers a secure way for providers to access the federal marketplace. In the webinar, StateRAMP (dba GovRAMP) leadership discussed the latest FedRAMP 2025 updates and what they mean for cloud service providers, 3PAOs, and federal government agencies. StateRAMP recently rebranded to GovRAMP, with StateRAMP still legally the organization’s name but doing business as GovRAMP.
Virginia ranks number 23 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 23rd 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. Virginia ranks three 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 Rhode Island at number 24.
See a listing of all state rankings in the latest edition of the State Occupational Licensing Index.
Updated State-level Data for Understanding Child Welfare in the United States
The child welfare resource from Child Trends provides state and national data on child maltreatment, foster care, kinship caregiving, permanency, and older youth in care.
State and Local Hiring Sees a Renaissance
State and local governments fueled job growth in the past two years, hiring at a record pace and boosting national employment as private sector hiring slowed.
AI at the Inflection Point: Power, Security and the Future of Government IT
In this episode, Teri Takai and Todd Gustafson explain strategies for state and local governments to prepare for AI-driven transformation while balancing cost, security and operational efficiency.
Business Architecture Part 1: A Strategic Blueprint for State CIOs
Business Architecture: A Strategic Blueprint for State CIOs from NASCIO advises states on how to move beyond IT modernization and continually improve.
NASCIO on the Cybersecurity Grant Program
According to NASCIO on a LinkedIn post “CISA’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has provided $1 billion to help state, local, and territorial agencies strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.”
The Role of State Medical Boards and Physician Health Programs
A webinar from the Federation of State Medical Boards, Protecting Health, Privacy & Patient Safety – The Role of Physician Health Programs and State Medical Boards, promotes the importance of a a “safe haven” in a medical board regulatory system to aid in physician health without fear of disciplinary action.
Where Are State DOGE Groups? A Map of Efficiency Initiatives
A map from Government Technology tracks the movements of statewide efficiency efforts, including if the initiative relates to Federal DOGE.
