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You’ll be forgiven if you missed that the administration released its 2015 budget this week, as most of the news focused on the crisis in Ukraine. While budget caps make unpacking this budget a more straightforward affair than in some other years, it still gives solid insight into the priorities of the administration.

While there are breakdowns of the overall tech budget available, below are some of the Information Technology highlights for state governments...

Key Takeaway Cybersecurity

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) FY 2015 budget request includes $1.5 billion for cybersecurity activities.  Much of this is for securing federal IT infrastructure, but there are also significant dollars aimed towards supporting state and local governments. Highlights include:

• “$28 million ... to strengthen the Department’s ability to safeguard and share classified information with its Federal, state, and local partners, and to help deter the unauthorized release of such information,” and

• “$8.5 million to establish a voluntary program and an enhanced cybersecurity services capability to support Executive Order 13636, Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.”

While the neither bucket is dedicated exclusively to the public sector, getting states and localities on board will be part of the goal (for more, see the DHS Critical Infrastructure Cyber Community C³ Voluntary Program).  Also of interest is $35 million for the design of a federal cyber campus that would co-locate various civilian agencies involved in protecting against and responding to cyber threats.  This could help states by providing better communication between many of the stakeholders states are working with on this issue.

Other Buzz

FirstNet:  FirstNet began hiring high-level staff toward the end of 2013; they have stated that over the course of the year they will be engaging with states, building their internal workforce, and generally getting up and running in a meaningful way. The FY 15 budget shines a spotlight on one of the needed goals for the coming year--a solid business plan for FirstNet. The Department of Commerce section states: “As of February 2014, the FirstNet Board had not determined final obligation and outlay estimates. The Administration, NTIA, and FirstNet will update estimates upon approval of requirements by the FirstNet Board.” The budget also anticipates the spectrum auctions that will raise $7 billion for build-out of the network, including those that incentivize broadcasters to give back spectrum, to be completed by mid-2015. February marked the two year anniversary of the passage of the landmark legislation creating FirstNet.  

Broadband and Internet Policy:  As part of the President’s ConnectED initiative, the budget includes a $200 million for high-speed broadband internet in schools, in the form of competitive 3-year grants to districts and formula-based “State Leadership Grants to help enhance state and local capacity to support the transition to digital learning.”  This is an initial supplement to the E-Rate program, which the FCC is currently reforming to provide more dollars for connecting schools to high-speed broadband.  

The budget also suggests National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) expanding its role in internet policy, receiving $7.5 million to form an “Internet Policy Center.” Likely, this will formalize Commerce’s ongoing task forces on internet policy.

Your Weekly Techbytes:

Obama’s Fiscal 2015 Budget Aims for ‘21st-Century Government’
Cyber a Priority in DHS Spending Blueprint

FirstNet Needs State Technology Chiefs to Play Vital Role

What’s Next for Privacy?

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