Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed Senate Bill 37, bipartisan legislation that makes Pennsylvania the 29th state to ban distracted driving. It prohibits using handheld devices when driving.
Officials plan accurate speed tests to determine where high-speed Internet is lacking — and where best to deploy federal funding. The state is due to receive nearly $1.2 billion in Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding.
Pennsylvania state senators are planning to introduce Alyssa's Law, which would require all public schools to be equipped with silent panic alarms that directly notify law enforcement of school-based emergencies.
A handful of Pennsylvania senators have expressed support for legislation that would require student cellphones to be placed in secure lockable bags in all public schools during the school day.
Plus, $204 million is made available for Internet expansion in Pennsylvania, New York’s ConnectALL launches its County Partnerships program, and more.
A divided state House on Tuesday passed a bill that would have Pennsylvania do something all its nearby neighbors have done — ban the use of handheld cell phones by drivers.
The bill would prevent kids younger than 16 from creating a social media account without parental consent as well as compel social media companies to better monitor group chats with minors.
With the state Legislature back in action this week for the first time in months, there is considerable talk but little action on bills that could stymie harmful uses of artificial intelligence, or AI.
Pennsylvania Lottery upgrades also include test environments, communications networks and back-office systems, in a migration starting late Monday and lasting much of Tuesday. The purchase of many game tickets will be impacted.
Some universities have wholeheartedly embraced the technology, such as the University of Pennsylvania, which now offers an AI degree. Others like Penn State and Duquesne University leave it to the professors' discretion.
