Reports of a Chinese “police station” in Nebraska should concern residents and lawmakers in the state and serve as a warning to bolster state defenses to protect sensitive data and infrastructure. This is especially concerning as a new report shows the Nebraska State Patrol has purchased Chinese technology that has been banned by U.S. military agencies due to connections to the Chinese government and military.
China Tech Threat (CTT) recently revealed in a report that the state of Nebraska spent $206,797 on restricted Chinese technology from Lenovo. Our fact sheet shows that the Attorney General, Nebraska State Patrol, University of Nebraska are at risk of sensitive information being put in jeopardy because of the use of these risky technologies.
State lawmakers can enact laws and regulations to restrict contracts with Chinese-owned or operated tech manufacturers and follow others in over a dozen states taking action to ban state agencies from purchasing and deploying Chinese technology to prevent the exposure of government and citizens’ sensitive information to the Chinese government. These states include South Dakota where Governor Kristi Noem signed SB 189 into law in March, Idaho where Governor Brad Little signed HB 294 and Arkansas where Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed HB 1789 in April, and, most recently, on May 1 Indiana where Governor Eric Holcomb signed SB 477.
Nebraskans’ sensitive information is currently at risk, and it is imperative for the state legislature to act in their best interest and ban state contracts with Chinese technology companies.