Ex-convicts, seniors and unskilled workers are among the groups targeted by a new program designed to boost the digital skills of Kansas' populace.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly appointed John Godfrey, who's held cybersecurity roles with the state government and state university system, as the new statewide CISO.

More than 153,000 people in the state of Kansas are without high-speed internet service due to infrastructure limitations, affordability and other barriers.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said state CISO Jeff Maxon will serve as interim chief IT officer following the departure of DeAngela Burns-Wallace.

The state's unemployment system, built in the 1970s, will finally be replaced in a long-delayed modernization effort, Gov. Laura Kelly said.

The group is charged with developing a "comprehensive plan" within 90 days to improve cybersecurity in the state.

An emergency bill makes compliance voluntary and bans the use of mobile location data to track the identity or movements of the state's COVID-19 patients.

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, the state's secretary of administration, will also serve as Kansas' new chief information technology officer, Gov. Laura Kelly said.

Gov. Laura Kelly said her decision to cancel the agreements with vendor CGI follows an earlier promise to improve transparency in the state.

Allen, who was named the state's chief information technology officer in July 2018, will stay in the job when Gov.-elect Laura Kelly takes office.