State of the States 2019: Getting America Connected

Government Technology editorial staff reviewed each State of the State adress across the country and rated it from 1 to 5 based on the strength of its technology initiatives.

In easily the most often discussed tech-related priority, about half of governors got specific about the importance of continuing to work on extending the benefits of high-speed Internet to every corner of their state. Incoming Gov Ralph Northam (D-VA) said it was the top issue identified by his constituents, while many others included specific budget requests for broadband in their speeches. Gov Jared Polis (D-CO) offered a familiar sentiment on connectivity: “In the 21st-century economy, broadband is critical infrastructure that everyone must have access to,” he said, asking the Legislature to join him in delivering for Coloradans. Gov Doug Burgum (R-ND) again delivered a tech-heavy speech, asking lawmakers to support nearly $200 million in IT infrastructure improvements to strengthen cybersecurity and modernize key programs with updated tools. .