2023 Cyber Review: The Year GenAI Stole the Show This was a year unlike any other in the brief history of the cybersecurity industry, with generative artificial intelligence disrupting plans and ushering in unparalleled change to security. READ MORE
A Half-Century of Rural Housing Homeownership is more common in rural areas, but the rental market can be tight, especially for lower-income families. A new report from the Housing Assistance Council analyzes the central role of housing in community resilience. READ MORE
Annual NASCIO Survey Highlights Dramatic Shifts in IT Priorities For the first time since 2007, NASCIO’s annual survey of state IT leaders was tied between two top priorities. That spot, normally dominated by cybersecurity and risk management, was joined this year by digital government and services. READ MORE
As cities work to get more electric vehicles and micromobility options like e-bikes onto streets, they're also putting livability and equity at the center of how technology can improve the urban experience. READ MORE
As Digital Government Evolves, Its Mission Stays the Same With every new technology that hits the public sector, from cloud computing to AI, agencies grapple with how to make it work toward achieving their core goal: an accessible, secure government experience. READ MORE
As Nation Grew, Illinois Shrunk by 33,000 People in 2023 The state was one of eight that saw population declines between July 2022 and July 2023. Illinois was third in total population decline, behind New York and California, but remains the sixth most populous state. READ MORE
As Winter Starts, NYC Gives Snowplows a Digital Kick
Bay Area Paramedic Shortage Increases Ambulance Wait Time Nationally, more than a quarter of paramedics leave their jobs every year. Calls for ambulance services in Santa Clara County, Calif., have increased by 25 percent over the past three years. READ MORE
Chicago Matures Its Cyber Posture Amid IT Transformation
CISO Bruce Coffing on recruiting a more diverse cybersecurity workforce and the unique challenges of locking down systems in a city the size of Chicago. READ MORE
Colorado OIT Seeks to Fill Two Executive-Level Tech Roles The Colorado Office of Information Technology is officially looking to hire for two executive-level IT roles: deputy executive director and chief information security officer. READ MORE
Communities Have a Lot to Tell Local Officials. They Need to Listen. City leaders need to make sure the voices of all residents are heard. It’s easier said than done. READ MORE
Congested California Region Explores New Form of Autonomous Mobility Transportation officials in the San Francisco Bay Area are working on a plan to use Glydcars — small, electric and autonomous vehicles — to make last-mile connections to more traditional forms of transit. READ MORE
Connecticut Worries That AI May Push Out Underserved Workers State officials are worried that under-resourced, low-income young adults may be left behind if not given the proper access and training needed to fill thousands of existing and anticipated jobs. READ MORE
Connecticut’s Clean Slate Law Will Wipe 81K Records in January The 2021 law will erase nonviolent crimes from public records in hopes of improving employment and housing opportunities for formerly incarcerated people. Technological upgrades required $8 million for implementation. READ MORE
Cybersecurity Funded, Now What? Indiana’s CIO Shares 2024 Plan For Indiana CIO Tracy Barnes, elevating cybersecurity, creating IT leadership training, enacting AI policy and laying the framework for a statewide digital ID program will take center stage in 2024. READ MORE
Disaster Zone Podcast: ‘Getting Elected Is the Easy Part’ Insights from a long-serving state-level elected official. READ MORE
FBI Disrupts BlackCat Ransomware, Releases Decryption Tool The U.S. Department of Justice reports that it has seized several websites operated by the group BlackCat. The group has targeted schools, health care, local governments and other victims across the U.S. READ MORE
Federal Medicaid Funding Is Failing the States That Need It the
Most
Wealthier, healthier states receive far more than those with fewer taxable
resources and less healthy populations. Congress could do a lot to narrow this
fairness gap. READ MORE
Fighting Climate Change with Data-Driven Urban Forestry
Florida Declines $320M for Reducing Emissions Florida was the only state to decline millions in federal funding that could have been put toward reducing tailpipe emissions and the effects of climate change. The state will build roads and bridges instead. READ MORE
Florida Lawmakers Confront the Power of AI Political Ads Proposed legislation would require political ads created with artificial intelligence to include a disclaimer. Another bill would create a new avenue for people to sue for defamation if AI-generated content harms their reputation. READ MORE
From Passwords to Passwordless, Passwordless Authentication in the Public Sector [CONTENT PROVIDED BY KEEPER SECURITY ] Create a fully passwordless experience with passkeys, SSO and Biometrics (NO FORM REQUIRED) DOWNLOAD NOW
Gates Foundation Seeks (and Funds) New Strategies to Address Economic Mobility READ MORE
Hispanic Families Continue to Climb to Middle Class Increased education, the demand for service workers and an increased share of citizens within the Latino population are combining to boost incomes. READ MORE
Houston's New Mayor Will Take a More Conservative Approach READ MORE
How ChatGPT Could Help First Responders During a Disaster Researchers found that they could use generative AI to extract location data from tweets sent during Hurricane Harvey that would help first responders find exact locations for stranded residents. READ MORE
How Generative AI’s Growth Embodies the Laws of Technology From obscurity to peak hype: What can the rise of generative AI in 2023 tell us about laws named for Amara, Moore, Metcalf and Neven — and maybe even creation itself? READ MORE
How Indiana Is Offering Free Cybersecurity Resources to Cities Armed with federal money, Indiana is giving endpoint detection and response services to local governments, with 31 entities signing up so far. But can the state make this last after the money runs out? READ MORE
How Many Electric Buses Does Your City Have? (2023 Edition) All-electric buses are now operating in nearly every state in the nation, according to new data from the federal government. Use this tool to see which agencies are leading the electric bus charge. READ MORE
How the Gov Tech Industry Should Bring AI into Government — ICYMI Citibot founder Bratton Riley provides a CEO’s perspective on the proper integration of AI-powered solutions to make governments more accessible to the residents they serve. READ MORE
In Terms of Federalism, the Action’s in the States Our federalism expert makes predictions about climate and the culture wars and how states will take the lead in policy in 2024. He also owns up to what he got right — and wrong — over the past year. READ MORE
In the face of rising temperatures that are particularly hard on underserved communities, urban planners are increasingly turning toward expanding tree canopies and green spaces. READ MORE
Kansas Police Conduct Illegal Search and Seizure All the Time Law enforcement across the state have violated Fourth Amendment rights numerous times over the last decade. That has called into question the training and experience requirements for officers. READ MORE
Minnesota's Top Transit Agency Tries New Approaches to Public Safety READ MORE
Modernizing
Legacy Systems Is Ultimately User-Centered Work
In 2023, we checked in with states on where they are with updating their major
systems of record, from DMVs to ERPs. Many are overcoming tech debt with the
end goal of a better resident experience. READ
MORE
Momentum for Parents’ Bill of Rights in Washington State Supporters of a proposed ballot initiative have collected nearly 425,000 signatures. The measure would ensure parents have access to the materials their children are taught in K-12 classrooms. READ MORE
More
Than Stenography: Exploring Court Record Options (Part 2)
Courts vary widely in their approaches to using electronic recordings of
proceedings as well as on using digital reporters. Proponents of the profession
say digital reporters can train up fast to ease strain from stenographic court
reporter shortages. READ
MORE
NASCIO Resource Offers States 12 Key Considerations for AI A new resource from NASCIO offers 12 key considerations intended to serve as guidance for states as they work to develop road maps to guide implementation of artificial intelligence technologies. READ MORE
Neighborhoods Near Amazon Warehouses Experience More Pollution Seattle neighborhoods within two miles of Amazon’s “last mile” facilities were exposed to twice as much traffic from trucks and other delivery vehicles than other communities, with a disproportionate impact on communities of color. READ MORE
New Jersey, Princeton University Partner to Establish AI Hub The state of New Jersey and Princeton University are the driving forces behind a newly announced artificial intelligence hub focused on responsible innovations and guidance in the space. READ MORE
New Policing Strategies and the Challenge of Implementation There’s not much research on how best to get a new program in place, but police chiefs who’ve been there have a lot of ideas about what to do — and what not to do. READ MORE
New Report Showcases Examples of Government Innovation Technology constantly revolutionizes how we live, work, learn and connect. What role will government play? [CONTENT PROVIDED BY KPMG] DOWNLOAD REPORT
Next Year, California Police Must Tell Drivers Why They’re Stopped Starting Jan. 1, police officers across the state will be required to tell drivers why they’ve been stopped before they can start asking questions. Agencies will be required to track whether officers are complying. READ MORE
NYC Schools Struggle to Regain COVID’s Lost Generation New York City schools have received more than $7 billion in federal aid to help students recover academically after the pandemic. But 36 percent of students were still “chronically” absent last year. Those in poverty were gone 45 percent of the year. READ MORE
Ohio Opens First Federally Funded EV Charging Station The station has enough power to charge four vehicles simultaneously up to 80 percent within 20 to 40 minutes and was funded through the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. It is just one of 27 planned across the state. READ MORE
Omaha Public Housing Residents Face Higher Risk of Eviction Omaha Housing Authority has filed more than 400 evictions this year, with 85 percent of those filings over debts allegedly owed to the agency. More than four-dozen filings involved debts of less than $300. READ MORE
One Year in, Arizona’s Universal School Vouchers Are a Cautionary Tale They’re a costly form of welfare for the wealthy that hurts rural and low-income students. They provide no educational accountability and lead to state-funded discrimination. READ MORE
Oregon Taps Former Bank of America Senior VP as New CTO Jimmy Godard previously spent more than two decades with the bank, holding roles such as senior vice president of strategy and governance and senior vice president of program service delivery manager. READ MORE
Pennsylvania’s High-End Police Academy Breaks Ground The law enforcement training facility will cost as much as $350 million. It will include 300 single-person dorms, an auditorium, gymnasiums, a firing range, a stable and more. Construction is expected to finish in 2028. READ MORE
Political Spending by Public-Sector Unions Is Deep Blue READ MORE
Post-Twitter,
Government Social Media Remains Up in the Air
Facebook. TikTok. X. In a year that saw major upheaval across popular social
platforms, are these sites still viable options for delivering vital public
information? READ
MORE
Removal of snow is among the most important tasks of state and local governments. Newer mapping and other tools are helping officials better deploy plows even as public works departments face severe staffing shortages. READ MORE
Seattle to Phase Out Large Building Emissions by 2050 The city’s new law will apply to approximately 4,100 buildings that are 20,000 square feet or larger. These account for only 3 percent of all buildings in the city but produce over one-third of total building emissions. READ MORE
Secrets
Behind Successful 311 Apps: Unlocking User Satisfaction
How do some agencies create apps residents like to use? The minds behind some
of the highest-rated 311 apps share best practices and recommendations to
improve performance and citizen experience. READ
MORE
Solar Power May Finally Be Coming to Low-Income Neighborhoods The Solar for All component of the IRA will use $7 billion of federal funds to pay for 60 solar energy projects in disadvantaged communities nationwide. Nearly all states have applied for the infrastructure grants. READ MORE
Some City Bus Drivers Aren’t All That Impressed With Tech Bus operators face a lot of challenges on the clock, but they say technology shouldn’t be one of them. From the reliability of newer electric buses to employee monitoring software, drivers weighed in on the demanding job. READ MORE
South Bend, Ind., Creates Specialized Digital Services Office The new office will broaden and restructure city service options for residents, while also building a collaborative team to meet government agency IT needs throughout the city. Its work begins officially in the new year. READ MORE
South Dakota City Focuses on Innovation With New Transit Provider Sioux Falls has selected a transit provider to operate its transportation service. The move promises to bring new innovations and efficiencies for transit users in South Dakota’s largest city. READ MORE
Texas Will Enter New Year Without Voter Crosscheck Program The state has not been able to find an adequate successor program after leaving ERIC in October. Texas officials are now considering how they might build their own voter roll cleaning system. READ MORE
This Is Business: North Dakota’s CIO on Transformation, the Road Ahead Kuldip Mohanty, who has been serving as the state’s CIO since February, is using his substantial private-sector experience to guide how NDIT serves its agency customers and constituents. READ MORE
Tools to Combat Voter Intimidation, from the 19th Century and Today READ MORE
Top 24 Security Predictions for 2024 (Part 1) Where next for cyber in 2024? Here’s your annual roundup of cybersecurity forecasts, top cyber trends and cybersecurity industry prediction reports as we head into calendar year 2024. READ MORE
Top of Mind: State Tech Leaders on the Trends of 2023 As Government Technology reflected on another year in the books, we asked state CIOs: What stood out for you in 2023? READ MORE
What's New in Digital Equity: Meet the 2023 Digital Inclusion Trailblazers Plus, a new dashboard compiles state-level rules on digital transformation, the American Library Association launches a new digital inclusion working group for library staffers, and more. READ MORE
When You’ve Been Gorging on Fossil Fuels, Fasting Doesn’t Come Easy Experts advocate for a “just transition” away from fossil fuels as communities across the U.S. plan for clean energy futures that, just as essentially, leave no one behind. READ MORE
NYPPL's next postings will be dated December 26, 2023.