Techwire: What efforts are you seeing to push through intelligent legislation around technology?
Kiley: We’ve seen some legislation related to cybersecurity issues, which are increasingly important. There was a bill to codify Cal-CSIC and to solidify its efforts going forward. There was a bill to ensure cybersecurity policies are consistent and meeting the appropriate protocols across the executive agencies. In addition to that, we’ve seen a few measures that have responded to the vulnerability that was exposed with the Equifax breach.
TW: Do you have predictions around legislation coming up?
Kiley: I know there are a couple bills over in the Senate, but I haven’t had a chance to look too closely at them yet. I do think that there are some areas of tech policy where state legislation doesn’t always make the most sense, given the inherent connectivity of the Internet. You’re also seeing some efforts related to new types of services being offered that are enabled by technology. There was just a bill last week, related to a new form of car-sharing, basically peer-to-peer car rentals, making sure that cars that have been recalled due to some safety concerns and are not rented out using those services.
TW: What about blockchain and cryptocurrency? Should the state be looking into it?
Kiley: There was a bill recently by Ian Calderon to introduce the terminology related to blockchain into the code, but it wasn’t really a substantive measure. I think it’s something that obviously has promise and I’m looking forward to it.
TW: What tech has the government done well?
Kiley: The last couple years, legislation-wise, we have really improved our attention to cybersecurity issues. There’s been some positive steps forward there that perhaps had not had that level of focus in the past.
TW: What are you reading right now?
Kiley: Other than all the bills that come through? I’ve been reading Steven Pinker’s new book, Enlightenment Now, which looks at how every measure of human well-being, mortality rates, warfare, violence, life expectancy, overall health, you name it, that we’ve experienced rapidly escalating gains in the last couple centuries. There’s a lot of data there, and it’s actually a really inspiring read. You might hear about how the world always seems to be on fire, but this actually shows that things keep getting better and better but because that progress happens, incrementally over time, it isn’t necessarily noticed as much as the bad stuff.
TW: Anything else?
Kiley: We obviously live in the state that’s been at the forefront of technological progress and being home to Silicon Valley is really unique, and a big part of what makes California what it is. My role as vice chair of the privacy committee is to make sure that we as a state don’t impede that and stand in the way of innovation that will improve people’s lives.
