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