Podcast
Priorities Podcast
Hosted by StateScoop · EN
Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.
37episodes
Episodes
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It’s getting really hot. How can state and local governments mitigate the negative effects?
3d ago00:27:40Summary readyExtreme heat is becoming one of the fastest-growing challenges facing state and local governments across the country, an issue that affects far more than public health. Rising temperatures threaten infrastructure, electric grid reliability, worker productivity, agriculture, emergency management and government budgets. Grace Wickerson, a senior manager of climate and health with the Federation of American Scientists, and the co-author of a recent report outlining best practices for governments seeking to mitigate extreme heat, said the publication sought to fill a void discovered in recent years. “What should be all the tactics and strategies that governments should employ to address extreme heat?” she said. “What are the evidence-based practices? How can we actually prevent all those real negative impacts?” Top stories this week: John Cohen, executive director of the office of strategic programs and initiatives at the Center for Internet Security, said it’s a sign of the times that considerations of digital intrusion were this year put on equal footing with more traditional, physical threats during planning for the FIFA World Cup. In an interview, Cohen said: “The threat environment has changed.” The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has told several state broadband offices that satellite internet projects approved for federal grant funding must be reviewed. Approval of the BEAD funds will be revoked, the agency said, if states can’t refute new FCC data showing the locations are no longer eligible. At least one municipal government was among those to see their internet service disrupted after a cyberattack against a Maine telecommunications firm Sunday caused an outage affecting 23 towns along the state’s midcoastal region. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryAI-charged cyber threats are especially tough for small organizations
1w ago00:31:12Summary readyThe democratization of technology is ordinarily considered a good thing, but as AI models become more powerful, people working in cybersecurity, in particular, have raised concerns about what that is doing to the threat landscape. The availability of models that can find vulnerabilities in software and rapidly exploit them is troubling for even the most powerful governments. But for cities, towns and small public utilities, researchers at the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity said it’s an especially onerous threat, and one that’s too often going unspoken. Sarah Powazek, program director for the center’s Public Interest Cybersecurity initiative, said “the way AI is impacting those small organizations is very, very different than the conversation going on at the national level, which is mainly focused on export controls and U.S.-China relations.” And Grace Menna, the program’s senior fellow, explained to the Priorities Podcast how the center’s work is attempting to “help bridge this gap.” This week’s top stories: The nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance this month launched three new satellites, which will soon be used by emergency managers to monitor for wildfires. They’ll spend three months undergoing testing before entering service and providing far more frequent updates on fire-prone regions. Arizona has launched two new locations for its regional security operations center initiative. Operated out of community colleges in the Phoenix area, they’re hoped to provide additional cybersecurity services and bolster the state’s workforce pipeline. Pennsylvania’s health department this week launched a new data dashboard to help the public stay apprised of measles cases. The state’s health secretary said the dashboard boosts access to information and increases government transparency. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
Summary
Is ‘privilege debt’ creating cyber risk in your organization?
2w ago00:22:02Summary readyThings like identity management and threat intelligence are important for cybersecurity, said Kevin Greene, the public sector chief cybersecurity technologist with the software firm BeyondTrust, but limiting access is the key. The fast pace of change in technology has led organizations to become “very reactive,” he said, when instead they’d be served better by getting “ahead of the attack lifecycle.” This, Greene said, is done by repairing the “structural conditions” in organizations’ IT environments. “We know that privilege is the fuel that drives the success of these campaigns with threat actors,” he said. Top stories this week: One year after deadly floods in Texas Hill Country, many regions are updating their warning systems, but adoption still remains uneven. Twenty-nine counties have signed agreements with the state, but in the state’s more than 200 remaining counties, many communities still lack warning sirens, largely due to cost. Ralph Johnson, who has spent the last three-and-a-half years as Washington state’s chief information security officer, announced in a LinkedIn post on Friday that he’ll step down from his role in September. “Cybersecurity has never been just a job for me,” Johnson wrote. “It has been a mission, a responsibility, and a professional community that I care deeply about.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker this week signed a bill into law that adds a new layer of oversight for developers of advanced AI systems operating in the state. The Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act requires large AI developers to publicly disclose their safety and security practices, report significant AI safety incidents and maintain internal compliance programs. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryFor digital government, trust is essential, says Estonia official
3w ago00:30:28Summary readyWhen Estonia escaped Soviet occupation and regained its independence in 1991, it took a propitious turn to the internet. In seeking to establish a new, democratic government, the northern European nation began building digital services, setting a foundation that would lead it eventually to become one of the world’s most thoroughly connected governments. Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Estonia’s minister of justice and digital affairs, told the Priorities Podcast that it was natural for the country to select “the cheapest, most effective” way to deliver digital services. Today, she said, Estonia’s digital services enjoy a high level of confidence from the public, even when the government itself does not enjoy that same level of trust. “The most important lesson learned, though, was that you can’t build a digital state without trust,” she said. “And trust is the most important thing.” Drawing on lessons from private industry, particularly the banking industry, Pakosta said, Estonia developed digital services that gave users the impression that they were in control. Moreover, the aim was always to provide those services to everyone: “People have a right to be full members of digital society, even if they don’t have a single gadget.” Top stories this week: California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday announced that the state has negotiated a contract with Anthropic to provide agencies access to Claude, the company’s AI assistant, at half cost. Newsom said the aim is to aid the work of state workers, not replace them. The Federal Communication Commission voted last week to approve a broad review of the federal E-Rate broadband subsidy program. Advocacy groups said the review, which could lead to limiting or even eliminating the program, is an attack on schools and libraries. In a commentary for StateScoop, two experienced election administrators wrote that last-minute changes to the nation’s election systems that are being imposed by the Trump administration could come at a high cost. Changes, especially those on tight timelines, they wrote, increase the risk of operational errors, technical failures and voter confusion. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryFunding AI-powered building-code permitting
Jun 2400:30:37Summary readyThe Department of Housing and Urban Development last month offered state and local governments up to $3 million to deploy AI-powered building code permitting systems. Julia Richman, the former chief transformation officer of Colorado and a vice president of the software company Clariti, said on the Priorities Podcast that her company offers a solution to some of these common challenges with permitting, and is helping governments to apply for the grant funds before the mid-July deadline. “Our AI studio is aimed to help communities really understand how AI could apply in their workflows and also what are the right kinds of AI to be considering,” Richman said. Top stories this week: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of a “one stop shop” website for comprehensive information related to the New World screwworm, and the state’s response to the spread of the flesh-eating parasite across parts of Texas and New Mexico. The website provides information on the outbreak of New World screwworm cases and resources for farmers, veterinarians and residents. California officials recently kicked off the pilot phase of the state’s Career Passport, a new digital credentialing tool designed to help workers showcase skills and qualifications gained through education, military service, job training and work experience, regardless of whether they hold a four-year degree. The effort builds on California’s broader push to modernize workforce development and reduce barriers to state employment for workers without bachelor’s degrees. North Carolina’s Department of Information Technology announced that it has selected Tanium as the statewide endpoint management and cybersecurity platform for SecureNC, the state’s collaborative cybersecurity program. Tanium will help consolidate the state’s management and security operations on a single platform, with real‑time data and automated investigations of security threats. The voluntary initiative will roll out in phases across local governments, higher education institutions and other public entities that participate in SecureNC. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryA Home for Every Child Initiative eight months in: PIPs and predictive algorithms
Jun 1700:25:30Summary readyAssistant Secretary Adams joins the podcast to discuss the "A Home for Every Child Initiative," and how modernizing child welfare systems with predictive algorithms and automated tools can better support families in need. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryThe AIDE initiative: How AI can help emergency managers better prepare for disasters
Jun 1000:24:33Summary readyGreenberg joins the podcast to discuss the AIDE initiative and how it fits into the national effort to use emerging technologies in emergency management New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts , Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryThe pole problem: A hidden challenge for BEAD deployment
Jun 300:27:32Summary readyMichael Santorelli of the New York Law School said the BEAD program will involvle as many as four million utility poles across the country, and complex regulations and rules around their use could slow dow broadband deployment. Santorelli joins the podcast to discuss the his organization's recent report that evaluates the problem with utility poles when it comes to BEAD deployment. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryChief AI officer role is ‘part strategy, part operator, part change leader’
May 2700:22:32Summary readyChief AI officer role is ‘part strategy, part operator, part change leader’ A growing number of states are hiring officials whose primary job is to ensure the considerate deployment of artificial intelligence. In Oklahoma, that’s Tai Phan, who last November was named the state’s first chief artificial intelligence and technology officer. Phan said the role is unique because AI is infused into all aspects of his state’s enterprise technology. “This is one sport, if you will, that requires everybody to be involved: legal, procurement, risk, cybersecurity, policymakers. We’re increasingly seeing a need to get those leaders involved early on because the decision for AI should be done collectively, and it does take a village to drive the transformation well,” he said on the Priorities Podcast. “This role is no longer a technical role, at least in Oklahoma. It’s part strategy, part operator, part change leader.” Phan said building trust around AI is also a key part of the job, a challenging task, but also one that’s “fun to do.” This week’s top stories: Several state technology officials last week brought before a House Homeland Security subcommittee a request that Congress reauthorize funding for the expired State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and renew cybersecurity programs inside the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency that have been decommissioned under the Trump administration. Colin Ahern, New York State’s director of security and intelligence, said “our states are on the front lines of multiple cyber conflicts, yet we are being asked to manage nation-state risks while our federal partners step back.” The Trump administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council is proposing one of the most significant restructurings of federal disaster response in decades, a shift that could dramatically expand the responsibilities of state and local emergency management agencies. A report published by the council this month calls for expanded communications systems and new systems for tracking assets across the various levels of government. California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed an executive order directing agencies to prepare workers, small businesses and the public for the potential economic disruption brought on by artificial intelligence. The order directs agencies to study potential labor market shifts tied to AI adoption, including layoffs, hiring changes and skills gaps. New episodes of StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast are posted each Wednesday. For more of the latest news and trends across the state and local government technology community, subscribe to the Priorities Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Soundcloud or Spotify.
SummaryThe digital divide is shrinking, but 'there's still a long way to go'
May 2000:33:46Summary readyLopez and Varn discuss how states are implementing BEAD while dealing with uncertainty, technical debates around the program and the core challenge of access versus adoption.
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