New ‘Quirks’ Could Make States’ Privacy Laws Impossible to Follow, Experts Worry
Federal efforts to create a unified data‑privacy framework stalled as the American Privacy Rights Act failed to pass, leaving roughly 20 state laws in force. Experts warn that emerging state‑level quirks—such as Virginia’s notice‑consent model, Maryland’s data‑minimization focus, and New Mexico’s high‑default settings—could make compliance mutually exclusive. Small businesses, lacking extensive legal resources, risk bearing disproportionate costs while larger firms can more easily navigate the patchwork. Lawmakers and groups like ALEC are calling for federal preemption, but congressional gridlock makes that prospect increasingly dim.
A Quiet Navy Shipbuilding Move Just Put Palantir’s Software Deeper Into the Yard
Palantir Technologies and shipyard software firm Keel have secured a $448 million contract to support the U.S. Navy’s Shipbuilding Operating System (ShipOS), an AI‑driven initiative funded up to $4.448 billion. ShipOS aims to modernize the Maritime Industrial Base by integrating data across...
UK’s First Hygdogen Fuel Cell-Powered VMS Deployed by National Highways
Fuel Cell Systems partnered with Swarco UK & Ireland to install the United Kingdom’s first fuel‑cell‑powered variable message sign (VMS) on the National Highways network at the M6 Lancaster Motorway Services. The deployment uses an Efoy Pro 12000 direct methanol...
Researchers Systematize Palm Biometrics to Enable Automated Forensics
Researchers from Griaule and Brazil's Civil Police introduced a "standard palm formula" after analyzing 4,000 palm prints, creating a consistent classification for forensic comparison. The model focuses on the distal palm segments (B1‑B5 and VP I‑IV) and translates complex patterns...
Oz Forensics Launches Transparency Tool to Build Biometric Liveness Detection Trust
Oz Forensics has unveiled a Trust Center to increase transparency around its facial biometric and liveness detection solutions. The portal aggregates certifications, ISO 27001:2022 compliance, and independent PAD and IAD test results from iBeta and BixeLab. It also offers controlled access...
Idaho Updates Grant-Management System with Cloud-Based Platform
Idaho has deployed Euna Grant, a cloud‑based grant‑management platform, to replace fragmented legacy processes across state agencies. The system integrates with the existing ERP platform, giving officials instant visibility into budgets and payments. As a result, reimbursement cycles collapsed from...
The FBI Is Buying Your Location Data To Find Out Where You Drive
The FBI has confirmed it is purchasing real‑time location data from commercial data brokers to track American motorists. Director Kash Patel told Congress the bulk data has yielded valuable intelligence, though specifics were not disclosed. By acquiring the information through...
Metra to Launch Fare Collection Technology Pilot April 6
Metra will begin a pilot on April 6 that requires riders at selected downtown stations to present a launched Ventra QR code or a paper ticket before boarding. The test uses new handheld scanners on off‑peak trains to evaluate speed,...
City of Los Angeles Awards GMV $43 Million Contract to Continue Partnership
The City of Los Angeles has awarded GMV a $43 million contract to extend its role as the technology partner for the DASH and Commuter Express services through 2030. The agreement will upgrade more than 400 buses with GMV Hub, an...
MSRB Defends Spending on Technology After Criticism
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) CEO Mark Kim defended the agency’s technology spending after Bond Dealers of America highlighted that roughly 60% of the budget goes to tech and that the EMMA website revamp is over‑budget and delayed. Kim announced...
Trump Releases AI Policy to Pre-Empt State Rules
The White House unveiled an AI framework aimed at protecting children, communities, and small businesses while urging a single, nationwide regulatory approach. President Trump has linked federal broadband funding to state compliance, pressuring states to align with the plan. The...
NTSB Issues ‘Rail Propulsion Power Systems’ Safety Alert
The National Transportation Safety Board issued a safety alert highlighting critical failures in electric propulsion power systems across aging U.S. rail networks. Investigators documented electrical arcing, fires and smoke caused by water‑intruded cables, worn third‑rail contacts, and corroded connectors, often...
US Department of Transportation Announces $21 Million in Tribal Road Safety Grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced over $21 million in FY2025 Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund grants, supporting 84 projects across 61 tribes in 13 states. Funding will enable safety plans, roadway‑departure countermeasures, infrastructure upgrades such as guardrails and multi‑use pathways,...
UK Cyber Monitoring Centre Plans Expansion in US Amid Risk of Category 5 Attack
The UK Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) is preparing a US‑based operation to quantify the financial fallout of cyber incidents, targeting a 2027 launch after proving its model in Britain. In its first year, the CMC rated two 2025 attacks –...
Brazil Launches Public Consultation on National AAM Policy
The Brazilian Ministry of Ports and Airports has opened a public consultation to draft a National Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) policy that will regulate drones and electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for cargo and passenger transport. The consultation...
Korea Airports Corporation to Build UAM Test Hub
Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) will build a dedicated urban air mobility (UAM) vertiport test hub at the KINTEX exhibition center in Goyang, northwest of Seoul. The facility, slated for completion by 2027, is...
Home Affairs Pressed to Expedite Digital Upgrades
Parliament’s home affairs oversight committee has urged the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to urgently accelerate its digital transformation after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report exposed large‑scale visa fraud and collusion among officials. The investigation highlighted that manual, paper‑based...
Photo of the Week: Del. Mobile EMS Outreach
New Castle County EMS has transformed a retired frontline ambulance into a dedicated mobile community outreach vehicle. The repurposed truck now houses tables, tents, CPR mannequins and informational materials, allowing the outreach team to drive straight to events without additional...
PHM Technology and SYPAQ Systems Pty Ltd Partner to Bring MADE Digital RAMS Backbone Capability to the ADF
PHM Technology and SYPAQ Systems have formed a strategic partnership to deliver PHMT’s MADE software to the Australian Defence Force. The collaboration will establish a Digital RAMS Backbone and create Digital Risk Twins that enhance engineering analysis traceability across the...
South West ICBs Adopt New Dental Referral Platform
Seven South West Integrated Care Boards will launch the NEC Rego electronic referral service in 2026, extending to Dorset in 2027. The platform will handle about 160,000 dental referrals annually across 12 pathways, covering 5.5 million residents, 900+ practices and 1,000...
You'll Soon Be Able to Drive or Buy Alcohol without a Physical ID, but There Is a Catch
New Zealand’s Govt.nz mobile app will soon let users display a digital driver’s licence and other photo IDs from a built‑in digital wallet. From the end of March, the app will enable digital credentials to be presented at police checkpoints,...
The UK Government Is Safety Testing AI Toys
The UK’s Office for Product Safety & Standards is conducting hands‑on tests of AI‑enabled toys to gauge their safety before any new restrictions are introduced. Findings could trigger enforcement under the Product Safety and Metrology Act, which gives the government...
APS Assistant Minister Gives ‘the Bottom Line’ on AI in Government
Australian Public Service (APS) assistant minister Patrick Gorman told the Institute for Public Administration Australia ACT’s AI summit that artificial intelligence is now a practical reality for government. He announced that service‑wide guidance on AI consultation will be issued imminently....
Winter 2026
The Winter 2026 issue of FedTech Magazine surveys the federal government’s tech agenda, spotlighting AI‑enabled zero‑trust, cloud‑first modernization, and legacy hardware like NASA’s GRiD Compass. It features a Q&A with Palo Alto’s Eric Trexler on identity‑first, AI‑secure cyberdefenses, and examines whether...
Star Systems International Transponders Used in Thailand's Toll System
Star Systems International is supplying its Chara transponders for Thailand’s new M‑Flow tolling system, which seeks to replace manual cash payments with electronic toll collection (ETC). The transponders, OmniAir‑certified and engineered for high‑speed, extreme‑temperature environments, will work in tandem with...
The Mandarin Live: Future Ready Public Service Canberra
The Mandarin Live: Future Ready Public Service summit will take place on 17 June 2026 in Canberra and online, gathering senior Australian Public Service (APS) leaders to address the next phase of digital reform. The event emphasizes stewardship, systemic integrity and scaling...
Singapore, Japan Align IoT Security Frameworks for Digital Resilience
Singapore and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to mutually recognise each other’s IoT cybersecurity labelling schemes. The agreement lets devices certified in one country obtain the other’s Level 1 label through a streamlined process, cutting duplicate testing. It also...
The Future Is Now, Almost
Digital government in Australia is a patchwork of progress and lag, with basic services still relying on paper and fax while some regions experiment with AI. Victor Dominello, former NSW minister, outlined a four‑stage evolution—Government 1.0 to 4.0—culminating in agentic...
Australia: Facial Recognition Aids Regulatory Oversight, Compliance
Australian authorities in New South Wales have issued guidelines for deploying facial‑recognition systems in venues that host electronic gaming machines. The technology is intended to verify identities in real time, enforce self‑exclusion registers, and bolster broader financial‑crime monitoring. Advanced AI...
Cyprus Orders Mandatory Acceptance of Digital Citizen App Credentials
Cyprus has issued a legal order that obliges all organizations to treat identity documents presented through the Digital Citizen mobile app as equivalent to their physical counterparts in face‑to‑face transactions. The decree, signed by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation...
White House Eyes Friday Rollout for AI Framework
The White House is set to deliver a legislative AI framework to Congress on Friday, outlining federal standards that would preempt conflicting state laws and address child safety, creators, and censorship – the so‑called “four C’s.” Republicans are looking to...
Can Zero Trust Survive the AI Era?
Federal agencies are confronting a dual challenge: AI‑enabled attackers are slashing attack timelines to roughly 11 minutes and dramatically lowering malware development costs, while defenders must integrate AI into their security stacks. Zero Trust principles—continuous verification, least‑privilege access, and micro‑segmentation—remain...
CBP’s 4-Part Tariff Refund Process Inches Forward
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advancing its Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system, a four‑step digital platform designed to refund importers for Trump‑era tariffs that were recently nullified. The agency reports the project is between 45 % and...
Gov to Explore "Future Connectivity Between Identity Exchanges"
The Australian government is commissioning a detailed mapping of its Digital ID System (AGDIS) to evaluate how it can interconnect with private‑sector identity exchanges. The effort follows a closed procurement that will produce diagrams, risk assessments, and technical options ahead...
Sen. Blackburn Lays Out Details for Sweeping AI Proposal
Sen. Marsha Blackburn unveiled a draft bill that obliges public companies and selected private firms to report AI‑related layoffs, role changes, and other workforce effects to the Labor Department each quarter. Non‑compliance could trigger civil penalties of up to $1 million...
APS Data Awards Winners for 2026
Australia’s public service held its annual APS Data Awards gala on March 20, 2026, honoring top data‑driven projects across government. Treasury Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh opened the ceremony, stressing that data turns opinions into accountable outcomes. Winners were celebrated for advancing productivity, competition...
Los Alamos County Signs Partner ISPs For Open Access Fiber Network
Los Alamos County, New Mexico, has signed contracts with four partner ISPs—XMission, Anthem Broadband, Intellipop and LANet—to launch the county‑wide “Atomic Fiber” open‑access network. Construction is slated to begin in spring 2026, with initial residential connections expected by fall 2026...
Granular Driving and Intersection Data Helps Drive Traffic Safety Investments
Missouri reported a drop in traffic‑related fatalities from 955 in 2024 to 910 in 2025, marking the first sustained three‑year decline since 2019. The state transportation department (MODOT) is turning to Cambridge Mobile Telematics' platform to collect granular driver‑behavior data...
Lack of CISA Leadership Amid DHS Shutdown Raises Risks, Cyber Pros Say
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is operating with roughly one‑third of its staff as the DHS shutdown sidelines 1,500 employees and leaves the agency without a permanent director. Despite the staffing squeeze, CISA continues to issue critical alerts—such...
How the Public Can CRUSH Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new public‑idea portal under its Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare initiative. CMS Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Brandt invited citizens, providers, and industry experts to submit suggestions for strengthening...
Tech Force Signals Shift to Centralized, Skills-Based Federal Hiring
The Office of Personnel Management is launching the first cohort of its Tech Force initiative, placing several hundred technologists into federal roles through a new shared‑certificate system. The program centralizes hiring, using a three‑phase, skills‑based assessment to create a cross‑agency...
FAA Picks 8(a) Firm for $295M Technical Center Support Contract
Quecon, an 8(a) service‑disabled veteran‑owned firm, secured a potential $295 million, seven‑year Second Level Engineering Support contract for the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. The award, selected from three proposals, covers a broad portfolio including engineering studies, system assurance, safety...
Comtech Delivers First Set of Digital Modems to US Army
Comtech has delivered the first batch of Enterprise Digital Intermediate Frequency Multi‑Carrier (EDIM) modems under a $48.6 million U.S. Army contract signed in 2023. The units are still in development and will undergo final acceptance testing this summer before fielding. The...
City Leaders Predict ‘Real Bad Trouble’ if FirstNet Isn’t Reauthorized
City leaders warned at the National League of Cities conference that a lapse in FirstNet’s authority could leave first responders without interoperable communications during disasters. The First Responder Network Authority, set to expire in February 2027, is backed by a...
New FAA Protocol Addresses Helicopter, Plane Safety at Airports
The FAA issued a new safety directive that ends visual separation for helicopters and airplanes in Class B and Class C airspace, requiring radar‑based spacing after a deadly 2025 Blackhawk‑jet collision. Using AI analytics, the agency identified high‑risk mixed‑traffic airports and mandated...
Pentagon Seeks Anthropic Alternatives Amid $200M Contract Dispute
The Pentagon terminated its $200 million contract with Anthropic after the company demanded safeguards against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, while the DoD insisted on unrestricted model access. In response, the Defense Department has moved to integrate OpenAI’s GPT and xAI’s...
Buying a ‘Loot Box’ in an Online Game? Some of the Swag Could Help Public Schools Under a Colorado Bill
Colorado lawmakers are considering House Bill 1148, which would impose a 5% fee on microtransactions such as loot boxes in online games. The fee is projected to generate more than $20 million annually for public schools, while the broader bill tightens...
Latest White House Cybersecurity Strategy Talks Crypto, AI, Quantum
The White House released President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America in mid‑March, outlining six policy pillars that target critical‑infrastructure protection, emerging‑technology superiority, and a broadened offensive cyber posture. Notably, the strategy calls for securing supply‑chain integrity, promoting U.S.‑made hardware, and...
SpiderOak Wins New UAS Systems Contract
SpiderOak has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems PMO to conduct supply‑chain analysis and cybersecurity assessments for vendors in the Drone Dominance Program. The company will apply its Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments (ACTRA)...
Water Utilities Need Hands-On Cybersecurity Help, Not Just Free Guidance, Pilot Program Finds
Microsoft, the Cyber Readiness Institute and CCTI ran a 2023‑2025 pilot to boost cybersecurity at small and medium water utilities. Of 113 utilities that expressed interest, 72 enrolled and only 43 completed the program, but utilities that received a dedicated...