This week in “What’s New in Digital Equity” — our weekly look at government digital equity and broadband news — we have a number of interesting items, which you can jump to with the links below:

FED FRAMEWORK FOR AI LITERACY

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) aims to support public workforce, education systems and other stakeholders in the expansion of AI education with its new AI Literacy Framework.

The emergence of AI increases the digital divide, as Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, recently told Government Technology. Even the most basic digital skills, she noted — like using a search engine — now require an understanding of AI.

AI literacy is defined in the ETA document as “a foundational set of competencies that enable individuals to use and evaluate AI technologies responsibly, with a primary focus on generative AI, which is increasingly central to the modern workplace.”


ETA’s new framework outlines foundational content areas and delivery principles to support the creation of AI literacy programming.

The five foundational content areas for a worker’s AI literacy, per this resource, are the ability to understand AI principles, explore AI uses, direct AI effectively, evaluate AI outputs and use AI responsibly.

The framework also outlines AI literacy training delivery principles, which are to enable experiential learning, build complementary human skills, create pathways for continued learning, design for agility, embed learning in context, address prerequisites to AI literacy and prepare enabling roles.

This new resource is influenced by cross-sector stakeholder input, from employers, training providers, state and local agencies and others. Stakeholder input will continue to shape the framework going forward.

This release builds on the department’s previous work to support AI skills as a part of workforce development programming. ETA issued guidance last August to states and local workforce agencies and boards on how they can use federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding to improve AI literacy.

NEW MEXICO TO EXPAND PUBLIC WI-FI

The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced six new grants last week that will expand public Wi-Fi service across the state.

The grants, which are part of the Community Connect Grant Program, were awarded to two cities, two counties, a university and an Internet service provider.

“Public Wi-Fi is essential for providing accessibility and convenience in communities across New Mexico,” Neala Krueger, OBAE state grants senior program manager, said in a statement.

In other news from the Land of Enchantment, the New Mexico Legislature has passed Senate Bill 152, which would create a Low-Income Telecommunications Assistance Program by Jan. 1, 2027. The bill passed in the state Senate last week, and in the New Mexico House on Wednesday night. It now heads to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a signature.

MAP FOR BROADBAND FUNDING ACT ADVANCES

In other policymaking news, the Modernization, Accountability, and Planning (MAP) for Broadband Funding Act, first introduced in July 2025, advanced in the U.S. Senate last week.

The legislation provides new oversight of the FCC’s Broadband Funding Map. Specifically, if adopted, the MAP for Broadband Funding Act would ensure federal agencies are reliably reporting funding data to the FCC. It would direct the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the way the map’s data is populated.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed the bipartisan bill last Thursday.

“My bill ensures federal agencies fully use the Map to maximize broadband buildout, while safeguarding taxpayer dollars,” Sen. Deb Fischer said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduced separate legislation last week to help strengthen infrastructure against natural disasters.

The Strengthening Infrastructure, Readiness, and Emergency Notifications (SIREN) Act would enable states like Texas to repurpose unused Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding to support natural disaster response and mitigation infrastructure. In Texas, where recent flooding caused infrastructure damage, this could underpin ongoing recovery efforts. The law, if passed, would allow funding to be used for investments like severe weather warning siren systems or rapid notification and disaster sensor technologies.

INDIANA RESIDENTS GET FIBER ACCESS

The Indiana Broadband Office and Comcast announced that construction is complete on a fiber broadband project spanning nearly 550 miles. The endeavor will connect more than 4,600 previously unserved and underserved residents and businesses.

This multimillion-dollar investment, made possible in partnership with the state’s broadband grant program, will bring new connectivity to Bartholomew, Carroll, Fayette, Hamilton, Johnson, Marshall and Morgan counties.

The work to connect every Indiana resident requires a coordinated effort between policymakers, community leaders and service providers, Matt Ubelhor, Indiana secretary of transportation and infrastructure, said in a statement.

Fiber broadband, specifically, has been described as being “fundamental” to the future of AI in the U.S.

CONNECTIVITY BLOOMS IN MORENO VALLEY’S WI-FI GARDENS

The city of Moreno Valley, Calif., is adding 14 new locations to its Wi-Fi Gardens program. The sites expand access to free Internet service for residents and visitors alike.

Each will provide free Internet service through the ILoveMoVal network at city facilities, parks and outdoor spaces. The program was funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

These new locations will bring the total number of sites across the city to 62.

“This expansion didn’t happen overnight,” District 1 Council Member Elena Baca-Santa Cruz said in a statement. Her district includes the expanded corridor, which spans from Frederick Street on the east to Day Street on the west and from Alessandro Boulevard south to Bay Avenue and Cottonwood Gold Center to the north. Baca-Santa Cruz said this investment is something she has been pushing for to help residents access online services they need.

A full list of Wi-Fi Gardens locations can be found on the city’s website.



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