Arbitrating an employee’s termination after a random drug test proved positive

Arbitrating an employee’s termination after a random drug test proved positive

Local 333, United Marine Division, International Longshoreman's Association, AFL-CIO, Petitioner-Appellant, v New York City Department of Transportation, 35 A.D.3d 211, Motion for leave to appeal denied, 9 N.Y.3d 805

A ferryboat deckhand employed by the New York City Department of Transportation [DOT] was terminated because he was unable to provide a urine sample during a random drug test. The test was administered eight days after DOT instituted a "Zero Tolerance Policy for Positive Drug and Alcohol Test Results."

DOT’s new policy was adopted in response to the Staten Island Ferry accident on October 15, 2003. That accident involved a DOT ferryboat pilot who had taken medically prescribed drugs colliding with a concrete pier. 11 passengers were killed and dozens of others injured as a result of the collision.

In addition to testing positive for drugs or alcohol, DOT’s zero tolerance policy applied if an employee refused to submit to a drug or alcohol test as defined under Title 49 Part 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations. It also applied if an individual failed to provide at least a 45 ml urine sample within 3 hours of their first unsuccessful attempt to provide a sample unless it was determined that there was a medical reason for such failure.

A deckhand was unable to produce a sufficient urine sample, despite consuming an unspecified amount of liquid during the 2½; hours between his two attempts. DOT terminated him pursuant to its “Zero Tolerance” policy. The union grieved the deckhand’s dismissal and ultimately the matter was submitted to arbitration.

The arbitrator modified the penalty of dismissal to a 30-day suspension after finding that there were mitigating circumstances -- DOT’s failure to produce key witnesses – that supported imposing a lesser penalty.

Supreme Court, however, refused to confirm the arbitration award, holding that the arbitrator exceeded his power because the “award violated public policy” and, considering the recent Staten Island Ferry accident, was irrational and "devoid" of common sense. The Appellate Division reversed the lower court’s ruling and affirmed the arbitrator’s determination.

The Appellate Division ruled that DOT’s failure to produce the witnesses deprived the deckhand “of the opportunity to challenge the reliability of the test and whether the procedures specified in the regulation were followed.”

The Appellate Division pointed out that an arbitration award may be vacated if it "violates a strong public policy, is irrational or clearly exceeds a specifically enumerated limitation on an arbitrator's power," citing Matter of Board of Educ. of Arlington Cent. School Dist. v Arlington Teachers Assn., 78 NY2d 33. On the other hand, the court noted that “These exceptions are to be narrowly read in light of the strong federal and New York public policies favoring resolution of labor disputes by arbitration.”

The Appellate Division then concluded that none of these exceptions applied to the arbitration award in this instance. It said that the following test applied:

A public policy whose violation warrants vacatur of an arbitration award must entail "strong and well-defined policy considerations embodied in constitutional, statutory or common law [that] prohibit a particular matter from being decided or certain relief from being granted by an arbitrator," citing New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Assoc., 94 NY2d 321.

In contrast, said the court, policies that are merely "general considerations of supposed public interests" are not sufficient grounds for vacating an arbitrator’s award.

In this instance the Appellate Division ruled that the arbitration award did not violate a strong, well-defined public policy because DOT’s Zero Tolerance Policy for Positive Drug and Alcohol Test Results was not expressly embodied in constitutional, statutory or common law.

The “Zero Tolerance Policy” was adopted as DOT’s new internal policy shortly before the individual was tested.

The New York City Administrative Code § 12-307(b) — which provides generally that the City and other public employers have sole authority over all aspects of the work and discipline of their employees, and generally removes those areas from the scope of collective bargaining — does not embody a public policy violated by the award. since that provision also states that matter concerning “the practical impact that decisions have on terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, questions of workload, staffing and employee safety, are within the scope of collective bargaining.”

Clearly, said the court, the zero tolerance drug policy is a disciplinary matter that has a "practical impact" on the "terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, . . . employee safety." Accordingly, it is "within the scope of collective bargaining…." Thus, ruled the court, Local 333’s challenging the impact of the application of the policy on an individual in the negotiating unit is within the scope of the broad arbitration clause set out in the collective bargaining agreement.

Holding that the arbitrator’s decision was reasonable and justified by the evidence, or lack thereof, in the record, the Appellate Division decided that the arbitrator had not exceeded his powers.

The court said that the relevant collective bargaining agreement contained a broad arbitration clause covering disputes such as these. Accordingly, this allowed the arbitrator to provide or direct the relief or remedy he saw fit under the circumstances.

The full text of decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://publicpersonnellaw.blogspot.com/search?q=Local+333

Links to selected items focusing on govenmental operations posted on the Internet during the week ending January 3, 2025.

Click on the text highlighted in color to access the material posted on the Internet.

A Comprehensive Approach to Election Cybersecurity As voters cast their ballots, cybersecurity teams need to detect any cyber intrusions, respond to them without delay and recover quickly, a daunting challenge for government officials working with limited funds and time. Download the full paper for more information about enhancing cybersecurity throughout the entire election process. DOWNLOAD

A few recent articles posted in Sui Generis-a New York Law Blog:

• The Risks of Using Dropbox for Client Files
• GenAI, Talent, and Remote Work: Legal Industry Trends from the 2024 Wolters Kluwer Survey
• Closing the Justice Gap: How Courts Are Leveraging GenAI for Greater Accessibility
• Judicial Ethics: Navigating the AI Era
• Amid a Flurry of AI Ethics Opinions, New Mexico Weighs In

America’s Newest Interstate Nears Completion in Indiana  Indiana is finishing its portion of Interstate 69, a highway planned to run from Canada to Mexico. It’s been in the works for decades.  READ MORE

Attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas Raise Security Fears   Both suspects appear to have military backgrounds and both used the same app to rent vehicles.  READ MORE

Bill Kehoe to Remain as Wash. State CIO Under New Governor  Bob Ferguson, the state’s incoming governor, will keep Bill Kehoe, its CIO and director of Washington Technology Solutions for more than four years, in place. Kehoe was previously CIO for Los Angeles County. READ MORE

CIOs Play an Evolving Role Within New Climate Reality  As the frequency of climate-related natural disasters increases, CIOs are uniquely positioned to build resiliency within state government and across internal agencies. READ MORE

Cities at a Crossroads: Leaders Reimagine Urban Futures  Confronting post-pandemic challenges, leaders and planners in local government and philanthropy reshape their landscapes through partnerships and innovation. Mayors serve as critical connectors.  READ MORE

Cities Have a Chance to Reinvent Themselves  Our first print magazine of 2025 concentrates on this moment of change and challenges for cities.  READ MORE

Data Storage Is Key to Unlocking AI Benefits for State, Local Govt  As artificial intelligence continues to transform how organizations handle data, government stands to benefit immensely, provided it is able to store and manage data in secure and cost-effective ways. READ MORE 

Digital Done Right: A Real-World Modernization Success Story  Discover how one state agency tackled record backlogs, streamlined access to documents, and fortified security by digitizing decades of data. DOWNLOAD

Feds Tighten Payments for Poultry Operators Amidst Bird Flu  Farmers must destroy their flocks when bird flu is detected. With payments already exceeding $1 billion, the government will now require biosecurity audits.  READ MORE

Foundation Money Is Changing the Economic Course of Cities  Local foundations have gone beyond funding charities to changing economic activity and strategies in several major cities.  READ MORE

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down in Nation’s Most Populous State  California saw some of its steepest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, which has long been the single largest source of climate-warming pollution. Meanwhile, its economy grew. READ MORE

Hoboken Has Gone Years Without a Traffic Death  It's been seven years since the New Jersey city has seen a traffic fatality, with injuries down significantly as well. Many of its improvements could be replicated elsewhere.  READ MORE

How New York Made Big Diversity Gains in Transportation Contracts  New York City’s Department of Transportation awarded a third of its contracts to minority- and women-owned businesses last year, a priority of Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.  READ MORE

How Rural Schools Can Better Prepare for Natural Disasters  They face more challenges than urban schools. But there are strategies they can use to prepare and cope.  READ MORE

How States Are Addressing the High Cost of Housing  Housing used to be primarily a local concern. With millions of units needed, state policymakers are looking for ways to boost supply.  READ MORE

How Tacoma Boosted Loans to Black-owned Businesses by 333%  Using the Equity Index, the City of Tacoma leverages data to identify and invest in underserved neighborhoods.  Learn more

How Understanding Data Sovereignty Mitigates Risks for Governments  This essential guide equips policymakers with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of data sovereignty while leveraging innovative tools to protect the public's information. Download the full paper to explore how your organization can improve compliance, reduce risks, and ensure the long-term security of its data.  DOWNLOAD

How Vermont Uses Incentives to Treat Substance Use and Reduce Crime  Chittenden County was seeing a rise in homelessness, property crime and substance use. A new diversion program provides an alternative to the status quo.  Learn more

How Versaterm Aims to Boost Legal Communications in 2025  The public safety technology vendor says that its new text and email communication system could help crime victims and prosecutors. The product comes amid other tech improvements for courts. READ MORE 

Indiana’s Top Data Official to Step Down This Month  Joshua Martin, who oversaw the development of Indiana’s first statewide data strategy and data literacy training, will be leaving his role in January. READ MORE

Lawmakers Want More Government Workers Back in the Office Most government employees at the state and local level have returned to their respective offices at least part time, but some legislators and other officials want to make in-person work mandatory. READ MORE

Municipal Utilities and the Persistent Push to Privatize Given tax-exempt financing and other advantages, continued municipal ownership would seem the way to go. But other pressing public needs can make cashing out these valuable assets seem attractive. A new wave of privatization efforts will give localities a lot to think about. READ MORE

One Last Play: A Former All Star Helped Kill Stadium Financing for His Old Team Frank White was a Hall of Fame second baseman for the Royals. As county executive, he persuaded voters that sales taxes for a new stadium were a bad idea.  READ MORE

Opportunity Zones Are a Big Success. Let’s Make Them a Lot Bigger.  They’ve generated over $100 billion in investments in thousands of struggling communities. We have the opportunity to extend and expand the program — and to make it permanent. READ MORE

Plummeting Enrollment Leads More Colleges to Close  College enrollment levels were already projected to decline due to lower birthrates. Recent difficulties with federal financial aid and teens’ growing concerns about cost haven’t helped.  READ MORE

Roanoke's Reinvention: How a Small City Shifted Its Economy Roanoke lost the headquarters of two Fortune 500 companies. It created a promising future by retooling itself for biotech. READ MORE

Skills Training: How Governments Can Build an AI-Ready Workforce  Download this paper for exclusive survey research in AI skills development, as well as strategies and best practices for upskilling employees in your organization to unlock the full potential of AI.  DOWNLOAD

Small Alabama Town Tries to Bring Its Hospital Back to Life  Thomasville Regional Medical Center opened its doors at the start of the pandemic. It didn’t survive, but unlike most shuttered rural hospitals, it’s practically brand new.  READ MORE

Some States Are Looking to Abolish Property Taxes Entirely As property values surge and tax bills go up, some state lawmakers are hoping to end the property tax. Doing so would not be cheap or easy. READ MORE

Some States Are Rejecting Federal Money for Hungry Kids  Fifteen states are not participating in a program to provide meals to school-age children over the summer, due to administrative costs or ideological opposition.  READ MORE

States, Locals Fail to Meet Recommended Cybersecurity Goals  Forty-eight states took part in a review, but only 22 reached or surpassed recommended minimum system security levels. Results for local governments showed they, too, have room for improvement. READ MORE

The Nation’s Largest County Is Changing Its Form of Government  Los Angeles County voters have approved changes that include an expansion of the county Board of Supervisors and creation of a separate executive leader. Reform advocates had pushed for such changes for decades and an atmosphere of scandal helped them succeed.  READ MORE

The Top 25 Security Predictions for 2025 (Part 1)  As we end the first quarter of the 21st century, cybersecurity threats seem more daunting than ever. So what cyber trends, forecasts, themes, insights and predictions are on offer for the new year? Here’s your annual security industry prediction roundup for 2025. READ MORE

Universal Basic Income Is Not a Solution for What Ails Society Providing guaranteed cash with no spending restrictions is massively expensive, and the public doesn’t support the idea. Policymakers should focus on reforms that maximize labor-force participation and make work more worthwhile. READ MORE

What’s New in Digital Equity: Fiber Map in Bloomington, Ind.  Plus, a Florida city is expanding public Wi-Fi in parks, Connecticut released its biannual broadband report, libraries around the country will offer digital literacy training, and more. READ MORE

Why It’s Confusing to Know Whether Crime’s Really Up or Down  Is crime out of control? The homicide rate went down 12 percent last year. Still, there’s more than one kind of crime, more than one data set and more than one way to spin things.  READ MORE

Why It's So Hard to Recruit Police Officers Many big-city departments are short of officers. It's not a new problem, but young people seem to be shying away from the field. READ MORE

Links to selected items focusing on govenmental operations posted on the Internet during the week ending January 10, 2025

A Comprehensive Approach to Election Cybersecurity As voters cast their ballots, cybersecurity teams need to detect any cyber intrusions, respond to them without delay and recover quickly, a daunting challenge for government officials working with limited funds and time. Download the full paper for more information about enhancing cybersecurity throughout the entire election process. DOWNLOAD

A Suspenseful New Year in Public Finance Governors, mayors and finance officers are treading water, awaiting the outcome and impact of a new Washington regime’s vows to slash federal spending and taxes.  READ MORE

Accelerating Digital Transformation with iPaaS Integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) lets agencies integrate systems and automate workflows using drag-and-drop tools. This guide explains how iPaaS accelerates digital transformation to improve government efficiency and service delivery. DOWNLOAD

AI Innovation Lab Will Enable ‘Quick Wins,’ Georgia CIO Says State CIO Shawnzia Thomas discussed the state’s achievements in AI and modernization during 2024, and developing initiatives like its upcoming AI Innovation Lab and ethical AI standards playbook. READ MORE

AI Will Help Georgia County Officials Prioritize Roadwork Leaders in Macon-Bibb County are working with a data-based assessment company to determine which of their roughly 1,200 miles of county-owned roads are in the worst shape and should be fixed first. READ MORE

 AI, Crypto Likely to Supercharge the Internet’s Electric Bill The rising use of artificial intelligence in search functions and the 24/7 needs of cryptocurrency mining are expected to take the Internet’s demands on the energy grid from predictable to exponential. READ MORE

AI, Innovation, and Opportunity, The Year Ahead in Legal Tech: Nicole Black, a Rochester, New York attorney urges readers to "Dive in and ensure you’re maintaining technology competence by learning as much as you can about emerging and innovative technologies as "2025 is sure to be a year for the record books, and now is the time to prepare yourselves for what will come".  Read the whole entry.

Alaska Retirement Division Hack Impacts Contributions State residents who work in the public sector, including in local government and education, have had employer contributions to their retirement accounts impacted by suspicious activity on servers. READ MORE

Appeals Court Strikes Down Net Neutrality Regulations A federal appeals court on Thursday dealt a blow to President Biden's Federal Communications Commission, striking down the agency's hard-fought and long-debated open Internet rules. READ MORE

Biden Cybersecurity Executive Order Nears Publication During its final days in office, the outgoing administration is hurrying to complete an executive order by President Joe Biden intended to bolster U.S. cybersecurity. The order incorporates takeaways from recent hacks. READ MORE

California Cops Continue to Stop Black and Hispanic Drivers More Often Black drivers, in particular, are stopped at disproportionate rates, a study of 5 million traffic stops found. Police officers say the analysis was flawed. READ MORE

California Law Blocks Health Insurers From Denying Claims Through AI Last year, about a quarter of all health insurance claims were denied in California. A new law blocks coverage denials made solely through artificial intelligence. READ MORE

CentralSquare Buys Startup AI Firm to Beef Up Public Safety Blueline AI, based in Texas, uses AI for tasks involving body cameras, police reports and search warrants. The coming year promises to be a big one for AI in policing — even as backlash against some of its uses builds. READ MORE

Cities Using AI for Transparency, Resident Engagement Municipalities around the nation are carefully using artificial intelligence to improve access to documents and public meeting materials, leaders said during the GovAI Coalition Summit in December. READ MORE

Connecticut Legislature Likely to Weigh AI Regulation Soon A lawmaker who is among the nation's biggest legislative proponents of regulating AI is hopeful to see legislation this year to protect residents from potentially discriminatory and harmful uses of algorithms. READ MORE

Cost of Sick Leave Used by State Employees Doubles in New Mexico  The personnel cost has doubled over the last three years. Employees have been granted more sick leave but they seem to be using more due to in-person work requirements. READ MORE

Despite Housing Shortage, Denver Puts Brakes on Dense Development The city’s planning office won’t approve conversion of single-family properties into multiple units in six neighborhoods. The desire to protect Latino neighborhoods from gentrification runs counter to the city’s housing goals. READ MORE

Digital Done Right: A Real-World Modernization Success Story Discover how one state agency tackled record backlogs, streamlined access to documents, and fortified security by digitizing decades of data.
DOWNLOAD

Drones in 2025: What State and Local Governments Should Know Drone technology is rapidly transforming government operations, but agencies face a complex web of challenges from navigating new regulations and security threats to harnessing AI and counter-drone technology. READ MORE

Efficiency Takes a Bow in Preview of Balanced Calif. Budget In a high-level view of the 2025-2026 fiscal year state budget, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted technology work and reforms by the Office of Data and Innovation, which is helping lead California’s tech evolution. READ MORE

Fairfax County, Va., CTO to Retire After Successor Is Named Chief Technical Officer Gregory Scott, who heads the county’s Department of Information Technology, is preparing to retire after nearly six years in the role. He has helped the local government refine its resident experience. READ MORE

Fourth Wave of Opioid Deaths Driven by Mixes of Drugs Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine now often come laced with deadly amounts of fentanyl. The current wave is driving up mortality among Black and Hispanic Americans particularly. READ MORE

GenAI in Courts: How Artificial Intelligence Improves Efficiency and Accuracy in Court Systems State and local court systems are strained. Even routine legal processes can overburden staff and delay crucial judicial processes. The right AI assistant can transform the way courts are run, letting legal staff focus on helping more people get justice quickly and reliably. DOWNLOAD

GenAI Transforms How Agencies Use Data Generative AI enables users to find, summarize and visualize information without requiring specialized data skills. But agencies need an enterprise strategy to realize GenAI's full potential. This paper offers advice on building an effective strategy and using GenAI to address business, operational and IT needs. DOWNLOAD

House AI Report Offers Lawmakers a Policy Tool The bipartisan House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence has issued findings and recommendations in 15 areas including data privacy and national security. Humans, it said, should be at the center of AI policy. READ MORE

Housing Shortages Create an Alternative to NIMBYism The Yes In My Backyard movement is barely a decade old. But it has set the terms of the debate over state and local housing policy. READ MORE

How Alabama Made Tax Services More Accessible The Alabama Department of Revenue faced significant operational challenges with its legacy systems, which were not meeting evolving needs for scalability, security and efficiency. Learn how the agency decided to move to the cloud to address these challenges, and more. DOWNLOAD

How Alabama Made Tax Services More Accessible The Alabama Department of Revenue faced significant operational challenges with its legacy systems, which were not meeting evolving needs for scalability, security and efficiency. Learn how the agency decided to move to the cloud to address these challenges, and more. DOWNLOAD

How Five Cities Have Changed Policing Under Federal Consent Decrees  Just ahead of the Trump administration, Minneapolis agrees to be the 16th city to enter into a consent decree with the Justice Department. DOJ cites five others as models for success. READ MORE

How Government May Use Generative AI in 2025 and Beyond As generative AI continues to develop, one expert predicts that state and local government officials will use it as a virtual sandbox for test driving infrastructure changes, among other applications. READ MORE

How Jacksonville is Preserving Family Wealth in Majority-Black Neighborhoods A new program preserves home ownership for vulnerable residents who are at risk of property displacement through heirs’ properties. LEARN MORE

How Minnesota Created a Text Message System for Family Benefits The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) revolutionized its outreach efforts by launching an innovative SMS text messaging system to connect with constituents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Download this paper to explore how Minnesota DHS overcame challenges, achieved measurable success, and laid the groundwork for scalable innovation.  DOWNLOAD

How Tacoma Boosted Loans to Black-owned Businesses by 333% Using the Equity Index, the City of Tacoma leverages data to identify and invest in underserved neighborhoods. LEARN MORE

How the U.S. Military Approaches Natural Disaster Preparedness In the face of natural disasters, preparation is key. This white paper explores how the U.S. military utilizes technology solutions such as drones, portable cell sites, and satellite connectivity to enhance disaster preparedness. DOWNLOAD

Illinois Human Services Breach Compromises Data of 1M The data breach last year by an outside entity resulted in the accessing of files that included Social Security numbers. Separately, hackers obtained the public assistance account information of more than 1 million people. READ MORE

Illinois Seeks to Rebuild Its EPA After Years of Neglect After years of cuts, the agency’s budget has doubled since 2020. But its new director will face challenges due to policy differences with the incoming Trump administration. READ MORE

In L.A., ‘Chaotic’ Winds Spread Fire Over Miles Hot, strong desert air is contributing to the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area. The current winds are much less predictable than previous patterns. READ MORE

Jimmy Carter's Neglected Legacy for American Governors As Georgia governor, he was a pioneer in efforts to attract foreign investment and promote exports, setting the stage for how U.S. states would help shape the global economy. READ MORE

Maryland’s Legislative Session Will Be Dominated by $3 Billion Shortfall With the state facing its worst budget gap in two decades, everything from education and juvenile justice to transportation spending is on the line. READ MORE

Minneapolis, Seattle Partner on Digital Curb Management The City of Lakes was recently jointly awarded a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. Officials there will work with their counterparts in Seattle to develop a program assisting package delivery services. READ MORE

New Tool Helps Local Governments Hire Displaced Federal Workers There's turnover in Washington with each new administration. Departing federal workers can bring valuable skills and experience to state and local governments. READ MORE

North Carolina Supreme Court Threatens to Steal an Election  A state supreme court justice won a narrow victory in November. Her challenger argues tens of thousands of votes should be thrown out. READ MORE

Ohio’s New UI System Will Come With a $83M Price Tag Ohio is investing $83 million on a project to modernize its 20-year-old unemployment system. The new solution promises to provide improved user and employee experiences as well as better fraud prevention. READ MORE

Oklahoma Names Dan Cronin as the State’s Newest CIO The state’s previous CIO resigned late last year after an "ethics violation." Cronin’s tech experience stretches back to 1998 with Microsoft, and he most recently worked for hotel operator Marriott International. READ MORE

Oregon Plan to Ease Rules for Foster Kids Draws Pushback Human services officials say more treatment options are needed to place children, but lawmakers are concerned lighter regulations will create more problems. READ MORE

Should Cities Open Their Own Grocery Stores?  Forty million Americans live in food deserts. Can government-owned grocery stores fix this? READ MORE

Should Medicaid Pay for Ozempic and Other Weight-Loss Drugs? With a dozen states offering coverage, it's already a $4 billion cost. Some state officials say reducing obesity will save programs money in the long run. READ MORE

Should States Ban Mandatory Human Microchip Implants? A new report examines the rise of pre-emptive bans on mandated human microchip implants, noting that 13 states have recently enacted such a ban, despite no companies currently requiring the technology. READ MORE 

Skills Training: How Governments Can Build an AI-Ready Workforce Download this paper for exclusive survey research in AI skills development, as well as strategies and best practices for upskilling employees in your organization to unlock the full potential of AI. DOWNLOAD

Smart Device Strategies for Seamless IT Discover a new approach to device management that streamlines IT costs and maximizes productivity. This guide explores how device subscription services (DSS) offer predictable costs, seamless lifecycle management, and improved employee satisfaction. Learn how to align your device strategy with sustainability goals and take advantage of flexible options designed to adapt as your needs evolve. DOWNLOAD

South Carolina Prepares to Launch AI Center of Excellence Rich Heimann, the state’s first-ever director of artificial intelligence, lauds its pragmatic approach to AI strategy and adoption. South Carolina’s chief information security officer will be part of the center's team, too. READ MORE

States Take Steps to Shore Up Pension Funding Recent laws to improve pension financing should save states tens of billions of dollars over the long term. READ MORE

States, Locals Fail to Meet Recommended Cybersecurity Goals Forty-eight states took part in a review, but only 22 reached or surpassed recommended minimum system security levels. Results for local governments showed they, too, have room for improvement. READ MORE

Ten of the Biggest Issues to Watch in 2025 State officials face challenges from shrinking revenue and major changes from Washington in shared programs such as education and Medicaid.  READ MORE

The Escalating Threat of 3D-Printed ‘Ghost Guns’  Arrests connected to the home-built weapons are growing rapidly in the U.S. and around the world. It’s likely to prove harder for governments and police to keep them out of the hands of criminals and extremists. READ MORE

The Four Key Components of Successful Digital Transformation This guide details four essential components for achieving successful digital transformation in Government: harnessing the power of SaaS and PaaS platforms, enabling data-driven decisions, improving access to comprehensive data, and fostering secure collaboration. DOWNLOAD

The Top 25 Security Predictions for 2025 (Part 1) As we end the first quarter of the 21st century, cybersecurity threats seem more daunting than ever. So what cyber trends, forecasts, themes, insights and predictions are on offer for the new year? Here’s your annual security industry prediction roundup for 2025. READ MORE

This Red Midwestern State Is a Global Paragon of Clean Power Iowa leads the nation in the percentage of its electricity it generates from wind and solar, showing that the transition doesn’t have to be expensive or scary or even constrained by politics. READ MORE

Thousands of Texans Give Up Calling Understaffed Suicide Hotline The state’s 988 service has a $7 million shortfall and the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls. The suicide rate in Texas has risen dramatically during this century. READ MORE

 Tyler Technologies Names New CMO, Other C-Suite Appointments The Texas-based government technology behemoth has appointed and promoted several new executives in recent days. The moves reflect how the company is growing and larger trends in the industry. READ MORE

U.S. Treasury Department Falls Victim to Foreign Hackers The federal agency disclosed Chinese state-sponsored bad actors had breached its network and gained access to unclassified documents. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the allegation “unwarranted and groundless.” READ MORE

Wash. Makes Tech Service Catalog Easier to Use, Access Collaboration and partnership with other agencies was central to the redesign of the WaTech Service Catalog, to better understand the needs of state departments and deliver a more obtainable product. READ MORE

What Will AI Policy Look Like Under the Trump Administration? The 2024 Republican platform declares the intent to repeal the AI Executive Order President Joe Biden enacted in October 2023. The technology sector foresees increased opportunities for innovation, but risks remain. READ MORE

What’s New in Digital Equity: Feds Fund Digital Upskilling Plus, the BEAD Progress Dashboard gets updated this week, a comprehensive report examines website accessibility across government, and one Georgia county gets to work on digital inclusion. READ MORE

Where States Place Their Capitals Changes How They're Governed  There's a reason states with big-city capitals produce different policies than those headquartered in out-of-the-way places.  READ MORE

With Executive Order, Mississippi Sets Path to AI Innovation Gov. Tate Reeves’ executive order mandates a statewide inventory of AI technologies, guidelines to responsibly integrate AI into public services and bridging communication across state agencies. READ MORE

Your Comparative Guide to Advanced Cloud Firewalls Discover which advanced cloud firewalls lead the pack in security efficacy, operational efficiency, and resilience. This in-depth report, backed by real-world testing across 12 solutions, offers a detailed comparison of how top firewalls perform against today’s evolving threats. DOWNLOAD