Items selected from blogs posted on the Internet during the week ending April 25, 2025

 

The State of Digital Identity 2025 This report presents findings from a national survey of 231 state and local government officials and higher education leaders on digital identity. DOWNLOAD Making Better Use of Data to Navigate Budget Uncertainty With federal cuts coming, states, cities and counties need to step up their understanding of the programs they run and the priorities they hope to preserve. READ MORE Public Funds Wasted on Waste? Government agencies saved millions by optimizing waste contracts without service disruption. Watch the Masterclass For a Model of Bipartisan Governance, Look to Alaska Its electoral system, bolstered by strong economic and social institutions, enables lawmakers to vote their consciences in bipartisan coalitions. READ MORE As Trump Shifts Cybersecurity to States, Many Aren't Ready Only 22 states meet recommended security standards. But some states have come up with new approaches on their own. READ MORE San Francisco’s New Mayor Seeks to Restore City’s Image A hundred days into the job, Daniel Lurie has been aggressive about stepping up services and addressing downtown woes. He’s won over some critics, but the city faces major challenges including a billion-dollar budget shortfall. READ MORE Utah Gov. Orders Agencies to Prepare for Recession, Cuts Republican Spencer Cox said he hopes the president’s gamble on tariffs will pay off but acknowledged they’re causing short-term pain. READ MORE A Rich County Turns to Data to Boost Affordable Housing Montgomery County in Maryland, part of the Washington, D.C., metro area, is in the midst of a five-year push to improve housing. A housing executive explains how new technology is helping to achieve that goal. READ MORE Funds Committed to Broadband Builds in Patrick County, Va. Many millions have been allocated to high-speed Internet endeavors. A more than $3 million project is nearly complete, while several others remain to be done. One initiative required “quite a bit of engineering work.” READ MORE Pennsylvania County Looks to Fill AI Advisory Council The Montgomery County, Pa., council aims to bring up to 15 people with experience in different sectors together to aid the county’s usage of artificial intelligence in an ethical and responsible fashion. READ MORE Procurement Officials Wait to See How Tariffs Could Affect IT Markets around the world have been reactive to recent U.S. tariff announcements and rollbacks. State officials are concerned trade friction with other nations could lead to equipment shortages and contract turbulence. READ MORE What Agencies Want in Modern Identity Protection Systems Get insights into how public institutions perceive and respond to the risks associated with digital identity. DOWNLOAD How To Choose a Web Provider Learn how the right web provider can amplify your impact and elevate resident experiences. Learn More What’s New in Digital Equity: BEAD Program Changes Forthcoming Plus, Idaho will soon end its digital navigator helpline, an Illinois county is distributing software licenses for digital skills training, Cleveland State University supports digital skills and more. READ MORE Texas Governor Signs Regulatory Efficiency Office Bill Gov. Greg Abbott has approved establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, with a projected budget of $22.8 million. It joins the legislative Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee, created earlier this year. READ MORE Seminole County, Fla., Fire Dept. Builds App for Wilderness Rescue To drastically cut response times to people needing help on remote trails, the Seminole County Fire Department created an internal app using lay-of-the-land expertise and countywide collaboration. READ MORE Cyber Attack in Long Beach, Calif., May Have Included Sensitive Info After Long Beach was hit with a cyber attack in November 2023, most of the city’s systems were briefly taken offline and replaced with a stripped back version of the government website, longbeach.gov. READ MORE Iredell County, N.C., Eyes $314,000 Voting Equipment Upgrade A simulated election and vote count test was a success this week — among the final steps before the county’s board of elections will propose buying new equipment. Current systems are aging but secure. READ MORE Creating More Than Just Pretty Websites Local government websites should be resident engagement tools, not digital brochures or org charts. We use intuitive navigation, smart search, and more for optimal self-service. Learn More Want More Housing?: States and Cities Must Cut Red Tape. To address the housing crisis, we need to pick up the pace of development without sacrificing commitments to low-income residents and environmental protections.  READ MORE  From Company Town to Incorporated City Starbase, the Texas home of SpaceX, will likely vote to become a city next month. Then the work of creating a government from scratch will begin. READ MORE L.A. Homeless Programs Run by Bewildering Mix of Oversight Boards Over the years, Los Angeles voters have approved billions in homeless funding — and created layer upon layer of independent institutions. READ MORE Protecting Government Websites and the Critical Systems Behind Them Complimentary Webinar Duration: 60 minutes Get instant access here. New Jersey Advances AI Through an Economic Development Lens Officials in the Garden State have unveiled two new artificial intelligence initiatives, the Next New Jersey Program — AI and the AI Innovation Challenge Administration Grant Program. Both encourage private-sector investment. READ MORE Accela Adds to Its Permitting Power via Acquisition The government technology heavyweight has bought ePermitHub. That company’s technology will help Accela customers further streamline and automate public agency permitting tasks, including via the use of AI. READ MORE Motorola Solutions Combines AI, Voice and Video for Police The company’s newest device for law enforcement combines body camera technology with a microphone that can record different vocal tracks. A company executive explains the appeal of the new AI-backed offering. READ MORE  Pennsylvania County Looks to Fill AI Advisory Council The Montgomery County, Pa., council aims to bring up to 15 people with experience in different sectors together to aid the county’s usage of artificial intelligence in an ethical and responsible fashion. READ MORE  Indiana Data Center Could Bring Significant Power Use The $11 billion data center campus going up outside of Northwest Indiana will have a 2,250-megawatt capacity. It will be able to use as much electricity as 1.5 million households, or up to half the households in the state. READ MORE  Colorado Bill Would Give Tax Breaks to New Data Centers The proposed legislation, a bipartisan proposal, would create a certification system offering tax incentives to entities that build data centers. Critics worry about lost revenue and power demands. READ MORE  Pa. Lawmakers Look to Set Guidelines on Safe AI Development A new Communications and Technology Committee in the House will play a part in reviewing most artificial intelligence-related proposals. Legislators have set a series of policy hearings in which to hear from AI leaders. READ MORE Invest in your workforce's skills and knowledge to adopt AI Skill your public sector workforce and drive productivity and innovation. Explore the Public Sector Center for Digital Skills [Live Webinar] Tech-Powered Project Efficiency: From Waste to Productivity Struggling with project delays and inefficiencies? It's time to simplify, streamline, and succeed! Join industry experts on April 29th to discover how technology is eliminating redundant work, automating tasks, and driving smarter decisions. Save My Seat Philadelphia’s New Tools Illustrate Expansion of Free Wi-Fi The Pennsylvania city has recently launched two new interactive devices, a dashboard and a free Wi-Fi locator. They’re intended to help expand awareness of the free Internet service available to residents. READ MORE Interim in Place, Portland, Ore., Mounts Search for Next CIO Jeff Baer, the city’s longtime chief technology officer and director of the Bureau of Technology Services, has retired. As officials seek his replacement, the job’s working title has been updated to CIO. READ MORE   Fort Lauderdale Picks Exec for Acting CIO as McKay Departs Officials at the Florida city have elevated its chief digital officer to acting chief information officer. Tamecka McKay, the now-former CIO and director of the IT Services Department, has stepped down. READ MORE Abilene, Texas, Continues Investigation of ‘Network Outage’ Officials in the city of about 129,000 residents are probing a server outage detected Friday. They’re working with cybersecurity experts and have disconnected “affected and critical assets to secure our systems.” READ MORE Alabama Is Bringing Forests Into Schoolyards Most of Alabama may be covered in forests, but asphalt still reigns on school playgrounds. The Alabama Forestry Foundation wants to change that. READ MORE [Free Toolkit] Building a Homelessness Prevention System Santa Clara County has proven homelessness prevention works. Learn how to replicate the solution. Learn more What to Do About Rural America’s ‘Ambulance Deserts’ The causes of these alarming gaps in equitable access to emergency care are complex. Fixing the problem won’t come from patchwork efforts or temporary fixes. READ MORE   Ohio Got Into the Pharmacy Business and Saved $140 Million By dealing with pharmacies directly and cutting out middleman companies, Ohio’s Medicaid system saved money even as it dramatically increased payments to pharmacists. READ MORE   Transit Programs Approved by Voters Are Drawing Lawsuits Voters approve most transit funding requests put before them, but after passage the measures have drawn legal opposition in places like Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; and Phoenix. READ MORE   Maryland Gov. Signs Several Criminal Justice Reform Bills The new laws will make it easier for long-term inmates to apply for parole and for ex-inmates to expunge their criminal records after serving time. READ MORE  How Santa Clara County Prevented Homelessness for 17,000 Families At Risk Santa Clara County has proven homelessness prevention works. Learn how to replicate the solution. Smarter Digital Identity in Government Services State and local governments are under pressure to deliver digital services that are secure, easy to use, and trustworthy. This guide breaks down how identity and access tools--designed specifically for the public sector--can cut down on fraud, simplify service delivery, and build public confidence. DOWNLOAD   How to Ease the Tax-Time Pressure for Your Team and Constituents Tax season doesn't have to strain your staff or frustrate your constituents. Learn how departments of revenue are using smart CX strategies to simplify support, reduce call volumes, and make the tax experience more manageable on both sides of the line. DOWNLOAD  State of Grants Management and Technology Report 2025 Grants teams are facing tighter deadlines, higher compliance stakes, and growing workloads—but rarely more resources. This report breaks down how local governments are navigating these challenges and where purpose-built technology is helping them work more efficiently, reduce risk, and secure critical funding with confidence. DOWNLOAD   Wireless Broadband: A Strategic Approach Drawing on the results of a recent Center for Digital Government survey of state and local leaders, this thought leadership paper covers compelling use cases for wireless broadband and provides tips for developing a 5G strategy for government. Read more to learn how you can propel your agency into the future with wireless 5G broadband! DOWNLOAD An Identity-first guide to building flexible and secure government services Okta helps governments simplify and protect resident Identity. Download our guide to get started. Colorado Incorporates Digital ASL Access at Workforce Centers Visitors to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s workforce centers and vocational rehabilitation centers can now access free American Sign Language interpreting services through a new pilot. READ MORE Bus Systems Make Upgrades to Improve Service, EV Transition A transit network in Seattle has introduced technology to reduce “bus bunching” and space vehicles evenly on a route. And a suburban bus company in Chicago is taking steps to transition its fleet to zero-emission vehicles. READ MORE AidKit Launches Aid Platform for Local Governments The new tool promises more speed and customization for public agencies that want an “end-to-end” platform to get help into the right hands. The offering follows a recent seed funding round for AidKit. READ MORE Wake County, N.C., Launches New Land-Use Records Platform The site, which debuted Monday, offers an update system through which property owners can be alerted to fraud. It’s part of an endeavor underway since 2020 and involved moving millions of records to the new platform. READ MORE  Colorado Bill Would Give Tax Breaks to New Data Centers The proposed legislation, a bipartisan proposal, would create a certification system offering tax incentives to entities that build data centers. Critics worry about lost revenue and power demands. READ MORE 3 principles of a modern Identity strategy Take your Identity program from where it is today to where it needs to be. Learn more. States Are Trying to Get Rural Health Workers to Stick Around Programs in Colorado and Illinois home in on finding and supporting health-care practitioners willing to work — and hopefully remain — in underserved rural areas. READ MORE  The Conservative Case for DEI These programs align with core American values. Democrats shouldn’t be the only ones defending them. READ MORE  Can You Cut Medicaid If It's in the State Constitution? Voters in three states enshrined Medicaid expansions in their state constitutions. Those states could be on the hook if Congress cuts program funding significantly. READ MORE   California's Big Shift: Asian Population Rising, Latinos Declining The change is most dramatic in Silicon Valley, which is seeing more highly educated immigrants arrive from India and China. READ MORE  Oregon Gov. Supports Idea of State Payments to Capital City Salem, Ore., is in budget straits, in part because untaxed state buildings make up 8 percent of the property in the city. Tina Kotek is backing a local property tax increase as lawmakers consider ways to help the city directly. READ MORE Stay Ahead with Resilient Budgeting Learn how to anticipate change, boost flexibility, and build future-ready budgets. Sign Up for the Webinar Cyber Program Gets Federal Funding Extension, New Home The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Program will continue operating with an 11-month continuation of its federal contract. It will ultimately transition to the newly launched CVE Foundation. READ MORE Why Your Agency Needs Whole-of-State Security Find out how your agency can build a unified response to cyber threats through whole-of-state security. DOWNLOAD Long Beach Wraps Security Incident Review, Notifies Public The Southern California city added $1 million to its cybersecurity budget during a 16-month investigation into a 2023 network breach that exposed sensitive data. Officials are now notifying people who may have been affected. READ MORE  Switching to Cybersecurity: Advice for Midcareer Professionals In our emerging age of AI, there are predictions about various careers becoming obsolete. More people are asking about moving into cyber roles. Here are some tips to consider. READ MORE  Crosswalk Hacks: A Wake-Up Call for Government IoT Security While viral videos of hacked crosswalks displaying faked messages amused many, the pranks highlight a sinister cybersecurity vulnerability lurking within the wireless technologies used by local government infrastructure. READ MORE  Texas Advances Bill for State Agency to Fight Cyber Threats Texas would establish a new state cybersecurity agency to fend off attacks on sensitive public systems and private data under legislation approved Tuesday in the Texas House. READ MORE   Maine E-ZPass System Closed to Avoid Possible Security Breach Officials shuttered the system on the Maine Turnpike for half a day in March to avoid a potential cybersecurity incident. Accounts and their private data were never at risk of being compromised. READ MORE Smarter Digital Identity in Government Services This guide breaks down how identity and access tools--designed specifically for the public sector--can cut down on fraud, simplify service delivery, and build public confidence. DOWNLOAD The Escalation of Digital Identity Fraud in State Government Pension Programs As state government pension programs transition into the digital era, the conveniences of technology bring with them a new and alarming challenge — the prevalence of digital identity fraud. READ MORE Crosswalk Hacks: A Wake-Up Call for Government IoT Security While viral videos of hacked crosswalks displaying faked messages amused many, the pranks highlight a sinister cybersecurity vulnerability lurking within the wireless technologies used by local government infrastructure. READ MORE   New Jersey Advances AI Through an Economic Development Lens Officials in the Garden State have unveiled two new artificial intelligence initiatives, the Next New Jersey Program — AI and the AI Innovation Challenge Administration Grant Program. Both encourage private-sector investment. READ MORE Motorola Solutions Combines AI, Voice and Video for Police The company’s newest device for law enforcement combines body camera technology with a microphone that can record different vocal tracks. A company executive explains the appeal of the new AI-backed offering. READ MORE Switching to Cybersecurity: Advice for Midcareer Professionals In our emerging age of AI, there are predictions about various careers becoming obsolete. More people are asking about moving into cyber roles. Here are some tips to consider. READ MORE Modernizing Network and Remote Workforce Security Traditional approaches to security are no longer sustainable, leaving agencies vulnerable to advanced threats, compliance risks, and inefficiencies. DOWNLOAD