2024 State of Local Government Survey Results GOVTECH TODAY recently surveyed over 500 local government leaders and if there’s one thing that the results tell us, it’s that the need to do more with less is greater than ever. Download this year’s annual survey to see what the biggest opportunities and obstacles facing the public sector are. DOWNLOAD THE SURVEY
A Wake-Up
Call on Digital Experience and Accessibility Research shows agency websites have more
barriers than public officials may think. This paper explains how agencies can
ensure equity for individuals with disabilities and improve usability for all
constituents. DOWNLOAD
Ahead of Election,
State, Federal Lawmakers Race to Rein in AI From robocalls to deepfakes, misuse of
artificial intelligence threatens to play a significant role in the upcoming
presidential election. Legislation from lawmakers nationwide proposes to keep
it in check. READ MORE
AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes
the Hard Part 2024 is the year AI at
work gets real. How are you integrating AI into your government organization? Read the 2024
Work Trend Index Annual Report >
Are You Ready for the New Era
of Work? 89% of employees say
AI tools empower them to feel more fulfilled and focus on what matters at work.
Learn how AI tools can empower your organization. Get the e-Book
>
Baltimore's Main Port Channel May
Reopen Next Week The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to
have the
California Working on ‘Responsible Adoption’ of Generative AI Tech leaders are being deliberate about the adoption of generative artificial intelligence and “trying to not follow the rush,” Government Operations Agency Secretary Amy Tong told a state commission. READ MORE
Can AI Help Agencies Save Money on
Traffic Studies? As agencies get more comfortable with new
ways of analyzing data, UrbanLogiq is betting officials will prefer AI-powered
tools over typical traffic-counting methods. Already one city has started using
such a product. READ MORE
Can the Grid Keep Up With AI and Data
Demands? A new order from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission seeks to prod longer-term planning to address growing power needs
and the transition to renewables. READ MORE
Data and AI: Reinventing
Government Services and Operations Numerous pilot projects in recent years have proven the value of
artificial intelligence (AI) in government and paved the way for wider
adoption. At the same time, state and local agencies are managing ever-growing
volumes of data, with the intention of making more informed decisions and
improving operations and services. READ MORE
Deepfakes Dominate Early Attempts to
Regulate AI Colorado has passed the nation’s most ambitious
AI regulatory law. In other states, lawmakers are regulating fake likenesses
involving porn, politics and celebrities. READ MORE
Deploying Human-Centric
Security for Government Technical
controls like firewalls, malware detection and access restrictions are not
sufficient to detect and prevent today's sophisticated cyberattacks.
Organizations must incorporate human-centric security. DOWNLOAD
Engagement Tech Firm CitizenLab
Rebrands as Go Vocal The move comes as the gov tech company
seeks a greater profile in the marketplace, eyes more U.S. growth and plans to
expand its AI-backed offerings. The CEO explains how the change came
about. READ MORE
Familiar Issues Confront Congress in Debate on AI in Elections Members of Congress are finding the debate over controlling artificial intelligence touches on matters like freedom of speech, and balancing its ability to innovate with its potential for deception and fraud. READ MORE
Go Modular: How a Stackable
Strategy Helps Governments Modernize Business Systems To optimize business systems and deliver value to taxpayers, governments
should focus on a modular strategy that allows them to stack solutions and
applications that work together seamlessly — without having to overhaul all
their business systems at once.
READ MORE
Good vs. Risk in Value-Based AI: The
‘Challenge of Our Time’ Using artificial intelligence from
a value-based perspective was a major theme during the 2024 Code for
Harnessing the Sun to Power Your
Mission The surge in onsite solar adoption by local
governments reduces energy costs, enhances sustainability, and offers
educational and economic benefits amid new federal funding opportunities. EMPOWER LOCAL ENERGY
How Nashville Learned to Share Data
Across Agencies Enterprise-wide systems enable efficiency
and community engagement. With its application of GIS, the city-county
government is showing the value of that approach. READ MORE
How the 'Most Significant Advancement
in Government Transparency’ Came About The passage of the
federal DATA Act 10 years ago and its implementation provide a road map for
bipartisan reform at every level of government. READ MORE
How the Texas Stock Exchange Could
Shape Dallas’ Future A national stock exchange
headquartered in downtown
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
Legal Woes, Constitutional
Challenges: The Trouble With TikTok Eric Goldman, associate
dean of research at Santa Clara University School of Law, assesses concerns
around the impending TikTok ban or buyout. It faces significant First Amendment
challenges, he said. READ MORE
Legalizing Casinos a Longshot for
Texas Lawmakers in 2025 Last year, the state House
fell a few votes short of advancing a constitutional amendment to allow the
construction of eight destination resort casinos. It is unlikely that the state
Senate will have enough votes to pass the measure next session. READ MORE
Local Government
Guide to Managing Grants This guide
takes a deep dive into six significant barriers to successful grant management
in local governments. It outlines best practices to address each and features
insightful resources to help you implement solutions. DOWNLOAD
Mayor Says Secretary of State
Violated Supreme Court Order Mayor Quinton Lucas alleges
that Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft moved a ballot measure to force
Minnesota Bill Signing Extends Runway
for Flying Cars Legislation recently signed
by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz enables the operation of hybrid car-airplane
vehicles on state roads and airstrips. The state is the second in recent years
to enact such a law. READ MORE
Navigating Email: From Spam Wars to Trusted
Relationships Some call it spam. Others call it marketing.
Recipients want it to stop, while senders are looking to perfect their “art.”
But both sides agree on one thing: Email communication is still broken in
2024. READ MORE
New Jersey
Co-Creates AI Strategy With Public-Sector Staff To
build an ethical framework for AI in state government, New Jersey is surveying
its employees to engage them in the process of creating a system that uses AI
to enhance services and empower workers. READ MORE
NLC Joins CivStart’s
Project to Connect Govt With Tech The CivStart Innovation Hub will have the backing of the advocacy group
for municipal governments across the country, as it seeks to help those jurisdictions
better understand startups and their technology. READ MORE
Oregon Mayor Builds Homeless Shelter
at No Cost to the City Lacey Beaty came into office as
mayor of
Privacy Nonprofit
Unveils Center for Artificial Intelligence The Future of Privacy Forum has launched its new Center for Artificial
Intelligence. It aims to help serve policymakers, companies and other
organizations in creating AI governance strategies. READ MORE
Seeing Promise in Data,
Set Targets, Determine KPIs,
and Share Progress If you’re working
on–and struggling with–setting your organization’s wildly important goals,
you’re not alone. Goal setting can be hard. How do you ensure goals are
motivating and not overwhelming? Download our eBook to learn best practices for
setting goals that motivate teams and leave an impact. DOWNLOAD eBOOK
Seven AGs Sign Amicus Brief,
Challenging Ohio Voting Law Attorneys general from
Solar Impact:
Harness the Sun to Power Your Mission Onsite solar panel installations by local governments can cut
costs, enhance sustainability, and tap into federal funds. LEARN MORE
NOW
States Should Think Beyond
Mobile Drivers' Licenses for Digital Identity Other forms of digital ID will also be important for serving constituents
online and preventing fraud. READ MORE
Strengthening
Digital Identity and Preventing Fraud New research from the Center for Digital Government shows
most people prefer to interact with state agencies online. But constituents
also are concerned about identity fraud resulting from these transactions, and
verifying their digital identity is harder than it should be. This paper offers
practical strategies for government leaders and policymakers to simplify
digital identity verification and crack down on identity fraud. DOWNLOAD
Teachers Are Using AI to Grade
Papers. But Who’s Grading the AI?
Ten Features to Look
for in Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) Software This paper covers the top ten features to look for in modern
cost allocation software. DOWNLOAD
The Power of Simple for
Government Read this brief to
find out how applying cloud operating principles and practices to on-premises
network infrastructure can help agencies manage complex IT environments. DOWNLOAD
The Role Tribes Need for Protecting
Sacred Lands A draft plan for co-management of
The Upside of a Little Progressive
Pension Paternalism With most public retirement systems
seeing improved actuarial funding levels, there’s an opportunity to offer
options that could make government compensation more competitive. But any
impetus for change should come from pragmatic public employers, not partisans
or lobbyists. READ MORE
The Worst Way to Do
Infrastructure Projects Federal
mandates that steer contracts to unionized companies worsen the construction
industry’s skilled labor shortage. Taxpayers lose when responsible contractors
that do a quality job at the best price are frozen out. READ MORE
Three Principles for Bridging Rural
Health and Prosperity The two are intertwined, yet too
often they aren’t viewed that way. Aligning them is a strategy for creating
strong rural and Native communities. READ MORE
Three South Dakota Counties May
Require Hand-Counting Ballots Auditors warn of financial
consequences ahead of the June 4 primary election if Gregory, Haakon and Tripp
counties ban the use of tabulator machines in future elections. READ MORE
Three Steps for Getting Started
with AI Chatbots Many state and local
agencies use chatbots, but fewer governments have unlocked the full potential
of the technology with artificial intelligence (AI). This thought leadership
paper details three steps your agency can take to kickstart an AI chatbot program.
Real-world government examples show how AI chatbots can transform service
delivery for constituents and improve efficiency for public sector employees. DOWNLOAD
Trolls and Their
Tolls on Social Media Communicators This eBook from CivicPlus offers strategies for dealing with
online trolls and guidance on how social media communicators can keep the peace
on their websites without restricting free expression and meaningful and
productive conversations. DOWNLOAD
Virginia Beach Is Still Healing from
Its 2019 Mass Shooting On May 31, 2019, a city
engineer shot and killed 12 people and injured five others before being fatally
shot by the police. Five years later, the community is still healing and
implementing new systems to prevent violence. READ MORE
West
Virginia Water Utilities Seek Stronger Cybersecurity An association representing 28 water utilities is
concerned the state’s Public Service Commission's recent cyber threat
vulnerability assessment order may inadvertently pose threats to their
cybersecurity. READ MORE
What Happens When There Aren’t Enough
California Inmates to Fight Wildfire?
Why Washington Can’t
Get Out of the Disaster Relief Business Some conservatives want