Welcome to the Future!
What’s happening? Illinois Lake County Treasurer is the first campaign to take crypto current campaign contributions.
Why is this important? The FEC permits crypto currency contributions
How will this be important? The tech friendly candidate sees crypto currency contributions as a way to bring the tech supporters, who are not active campaign contributors
Government Technology | Lake County, Ill., Treasurer Takes Crypto Campaign Donations
What’s happening? Pennsylvania has a Emerging Technologies Caucus that is introducing a blockchain bill that would allow businesses in Pennsylvania to develop blockchain-based products
Why is this important? Your bill drafting guides & talking points:
How will this be important? Blockchain is a grey area in the law
PA House | Napoleon Nelson introduces blockchain technology bill package
What is happening? Texas Legislature passed the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act that prevents Texas from contracting with foreign-owned companies from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran to protect the state’s critical infrastructure
Why is this important? The bill also gives the Texas governor the authority to add countries to the list, with consultation by the director of public safety and the Texas Department of Homeland Security.
How will this be important? SB 2116 (2021 | TX) let’s not be surprised when other states replicate this bill
Government Technology | Texas Law Will Block IT Contracts With Some Foreign Vendors
What’s happening? Argo Blockchain, a Canadian cryptocurrency mining company, built a facility in Dickens County, Texas. Population 2300. The reason: Available cheap energy.
Why is this important? Texas has a deregulated energy market, “which means customers can choose between different power providers and providers are thus incentivized to provide low rates.” This translates to long term contracts at low rates.
How will this be important? If Texas adopts market reforms will these contracts be impacted? Miners consider themselves a virtual power plant based on their power agreements.
The Guardian | Why bitcoin entrepreneurs are flocking to rural Texas
What’s happening? During the 1st week of August, Miami’s MiamiCoin project launched & has already generated $1Million in revenue for Miami. Miami under current laws can only receive the revenue in dollars, and cannot own the crypto. Currently Miami gets 30% of the revenue MiamiCoin generates using specific MiamiCoin protocols.
Why is this important? A discretionary pot on new revenue…name a city that wouldn’t be intrigued, please be my guest…
How will this be important? Revenue and the cryptocurrency is being touted as a “viable form of incentivizing civic engagement” Tallahassee is already working on ways for cities to own crypto…
Miami Herald via Governing | As MiamiCoin Crypto Continues to Grow, Miami Gets 30%
What’s happening? Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill this week to strip online platforms like Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. of liability protections if their technology spreads misinformation about coronavirus vaccines or other public-health emergencies.
Why is this important? The bill tracks a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate that says the majority of misinformation comes from 12 social media users.
How will this be important? Tech Leaders have indicated a modicum of support for amending the liability protection in Section 230, a provision in the 1996 Communications Decency Act
What’s happening? On Tuesday it was announced by PolyNetowrk that hackers stole $600 million in various cryptocurrencies from its network. PolyNetwork asked the hackers to return the funds. As of this $4.8 million have been returned.
Why is this important? How do you enforce when the crypto is stored by blockchain, in multiple parts on multiple servers and US financial regulators are pushing to make cryptocurrency easier to trace.
How will this be important? The industry is asking and moving to self regulate and secure their assets.
What’s happening? Anchorage Digital won a DOJ contract to store and liquidate digital assets that federal law enforcement seizes following criminal investigations
Why is this important? Anchorage Digital is also the 1st federally chartered bank for crypto
How will this be important? This will also be an issue for state regulators and it’s super new.
What’s happening? NYC Council passed an ordinance requiring a delivery service to share customer service with restaurants. Council members say they are helping restaurants by passing this measure. Opponents say it is hasty and replete with unintended consequences.
Why is this important? We’re relying more and more on delivery in this COVID world.
How will this be important? How governments handle regulating delivery services and the data that is accrued and shared among vendors.
What’s happening? This week is was revealed that some EV chargers have a flaw that make them vulnerable to hackers.
Why is this important? The security firm that identified the flaw says the flaw could have been exploited by a “malicious hacker to hijack user accounts, impede charging and even turn one of the chargers into a “backdoor” into the owner’s home network.”
How will this be important? It begs the question about protection for the good hackers who identify these problems. It also illuminates flaws in data security requirements for the internet of things- including EV charging stations.