Read more about the article Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity
Broadband / County News / Health and Human Services / Information Technology
Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity

The federal government unveiled a health IT strategy to improve patient care, drive innovation, and expand access to digital health technologies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. This strategy sets a course for the future of health information technology (health IT). This comprehensive strategy, guided by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, focuses on leveraging technology to improve healthcare…

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October 8, 2024
Read more about the article MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace
Broadband / County News / Information Technology / News You Can Use
MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace

Access to broadband in rural areas is an issue nationwide, and Maryland is no exception. New data from the Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (LEIA) program reveals that while Maryland maintains strong internet adoption rates overall, significant gaps persist in rural counties, affecting residents’ ability to participate fully in the digital economy, access education, and benefit from telehealth services. These insights, provided by the US Census Bureau in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information…

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September 9, 2024
Read more about the article Somerset County Expands Digital Horizon
Broadband / Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development / Information Technology / News You Can Use
Somerset County Expands Digital Horizon

Somerset County receives close to $2 million in funding to expand broadband access. Maryland has allocated almost $2 million to extend high-speed internet access to Smith Island. This grant, managed by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Office of Statewide Broadband, aims to connect over 200 businesses and households in Somerset County. By investing in infrastructure, counties will enhance economic development in their communities, ensuring more reliable internet access for both businesses and…

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August 7, 2024
Read more about the article Federal Court Decision Throws Wrench Into Telecom Access Programs
Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Feature / Government Liability and Courts / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use / Taxes and Revenues
Federal Court Decision Throws Wrench Into Telecom Access Programs

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a 9-7 en banc decision, recently overturned the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), calling it an unconstitutional tax. This ruling has sent shockwaves through the telecommunications industry, as the USF has been a cornerstone of the FCC’s efforts to ensure nationwide access to telecommunications services. For county governments, this decision imperils the funding and sustainability of critical telecom infrastructure projects that support…

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August 2, 2024
Read more about the article MD to Deploy $268M in Federal Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access
Broadband / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / News You Can Use
MD to Deploy $268M in Federal Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access

Governor Wes Moore announced that the United States Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved proposals for Maryland’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) plan. The approval enables access to $267.7 million in federal funding to support the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Connect Maryland initiative to provide all Marylanders with affordable and equitable access to high-speed internet. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding from the…

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July 11, 2024
Read more about the article Let’s Get Techy! Don’t Miss the #MACoCon Tech Expo
Broadband / County News / Cyber / Information Technology / Summer Conference
Let’s Get Techy! Don’t Miss the #MACoCon Tech Expo

MACoCon's Tech Expo, which will take place on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, will feature intense hands-on immersion in new and developing technologies. The exhibit hall will host 60 technology-focused vendors. MACo’s 2024 Summer Conference, “Turning the Tide,” will examine ways counties can, with an eye on the future, foster and fund county priorities like planning for sustainable growth, modernizing mental health and public safety services, and advancing our education system, among others. As always, the…

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July 3, 2024
Read more about the article Gov Moore Announces $19.6M to Provide Internet Access to 2,400 Maryland Households
Broadband / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
Gov Moore Announces $19.6M to Provide Internet Access to 2,400 Maryland Households

Governor Wes Moore announced $19.6 million in fiscal 2024 awards through a new Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development program to help more Marylanders access high-speed, affordable internet. Home Stretch for Difficult to Serve Properties, administered by the department’s Office of Statewide Broadband, will provide internet access to approximately 2,400 unserved Maryland households in its first round. Many unserved locations are unserved not because of a lack of nearby infrastructure but because of the…

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May 20, 2024
Read more about the article Carroll County Launches Broadband Expansion Grant Program
Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Information Technology / News You Can Use
Carroll County Launches Broadband Expansion Grant Program

Carroll County has announced the "Difficult to Serve – Long Driveway Grant Program," effective immediately. The county applied and received a grant from the State of Maryland for the FY24 Home Stretch – Difficult to Serve Properties Grant.  In an effort to provide internet to the unserved areas of the county, this grant provides funding assistance up to $14,000 to connect qualifying homes with driveways longer than an internet service provider will connect “for free”…

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April 25, 2024
Read more about the article 2024 End of Session Wrap-Up: Information Technology
Broadband / Cyber / General Assembly News / Information Technology / MACo Testimony
2024 End of Session Wrap-Up: Information Technology

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo's advocacy on IT/cybersecurity issues in the 2024 General Assembly.  Hackers are increasingly targeting states and local governments with sophisticated cyberattacks. Securing government information systems is critical, as a cyber intrusion can be very disruptive, jeopardizing sensitive information, public safety, and delivering essential services. As such, MACo's advocacy focuses on bolstering support for local cybersecurity efforts and ensuring a strategic, coordinated, and flexible approach to enhancing cybersecurity…

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April 11, 2024
Read more about the article Montgomery County Relaunches Free Computer Distribution Program for Low-Income Residents
Broadband / County News / Education / Information Technology / News You Can Use
Montgomery County Relaunches Free Computer Distribution Program for Low-Income Residents

“Montgomery Connects,” Montgomery County’s digital equity and inclusion program, has launched a new program to distribute 60,000 free laptop computers to low-income families. There is a limit of one computer per resident. Eligible recipients must be Maryland residents, do not need to be U.S. citizens and may not have already received a computer from the County before April 2023. Residents must make an appointment online, certify that they do not have access to a computer,…

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February 8, 2024
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