Tech & Data
State IT Officials Will Push for New Federal Grants to Help With Tech Upgrades
The group that represents chief information officers says the pandemic has highlighted how unemployment systems and other state and local technology need to be modernized.
Health & Human Services
The Simple Reason West Virginia Leads the Nation in Vaccinating Nursing Home Residents
COMMENTARY | Other states were still far behind when West Virginia became the first state to finish round one of the two-dose vaccine series in nursing homes. What did the state do differently?
Tech & Data
State Capitols Brace for Cyberattacks, Too
As state capitols prepare for the threat of rioters in the days ahead, information technology experts warn that officials must beef up not only physical security but also cybersecurity.
Sponsor Content
Cloud Offers a Path to Scalable, Innovative Eligibility and Enrollment Systems
Increasing demand for new and more user-friendly services, rising transaction complexity, and calls for data transparency have made it important for agencies to transform the ways they interact with constituents and design systems to deliver benefits.
Finance
Biden Plan Would Direct $400 Billion to Vaccine, Public Health Initiatives
The president-elect’s $1.9 trillion plan includes funding for a national Covid-19 vaccination program, expanded testing capacity, and safety measures to help reopen schools.
Finance
Biden Calls for $350 Billion in State and Local Aid as Part of Massive Stimulus
The president-elect released details on Thursday for a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.
Management
Customers Won't Wear a Mask? One State Says to Call the Police.
Updated guidance from the New Hampshire Attorney General's office instructs businesses to call local law enforcement for assistance if customers simply refuse to comply with a statewide mask mandate.
Health & Human Services
Jordan’s Story: Isolated, Anxious and Failing Online Classes, an 11-Year-Old Texas Boy Considered Suicide
Months of remote learning were hard on the Frisco ISD student. Like other schoolchildren across the state, he experienced mental health issues, in large part due to social isolation during the pandemic.
Health & Human Services
Interest Groups Lobby to Get Ahead in Vaccine Line
The lobbying to be in the "1B category" has been intense in many states. Advocates for older adults, teachers, restaurant workers, agricultural workers and others are pleading their cases.
Public Safety
Two Virginia Police Officers Charged in U.S. Capitol Riot
At least a dozen law enforcement agencies are investigating their officers' possible involvement in the episode. The arrest of two Rocky Mount officers marks the first federal charges related to the riot filed against law enforcement officers.
Management
Making Community Engagement More Accessible and Inclusive
COMMENTARY | The pandemic quickly shifted most community engagement to virtual arrangements, but not all citizens have ready access to online forums. Public officials can address inequities by finding alternative ways to gather valuable community input.
Featured eBooks
Health & Human Services
Random People Are Lining Up to Get Vaccinated in D.C. Grocery Stores
Pharmacies have started quietly offering leftover Covid-19 shots to anyone around. You can guess where this goes.
Sponsor Content
eBook: Government Tech & Innovation
Route Fifty explores how governments are using algorithms and automation to solve problems during the pandemic, while also testing innovations like cargo e-bikes.
Public Safety
Capitol Siege Raises Questions Over Extent of White Supremacist Infiltration of U.S. Police
COMMENTARY | Reports of officers involved in an attack in which the symbols and language of white supremacy were clearly on display are concerning.
Public Safety
Airbnb Cancels Rentals in Washington, D.C. Region for Inauguration Week
The company’s decision to cancel and block lodging rentals comes after leaders from the District, Maryland and Virginia urged people to stay away.
Management
Make Government Boring Again
ANALYSIS | The Texas Capitol had its defenses ready for the start of the legislative session after last week's riots in the U.S. Capitol. But opening day was nice and quiet.
Management
Cocktails To-Go Help Restaurants Stay Afloat
“It’s not a huge chunk of sales, but it’s something, and right now, something counts," says one restauranteur.
Health & Human Services
Proposed Safe-Injection Site in Philadelphia Found Illegal by Federal Appeals Court
The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 decision that found a plan to open the nation’s first supervised drug injection site violates a federal law passed to shut down crack houses.
Health & Human Services
Farmers Can be Isolated and Unsure How to Seek Support. One State is Trying to Help.
Farmers in Wisconsin can access a 24-hour hotline, free counseling and, soon, virtual support groups. It's all part of a state-funded wellness program focused on the agricultural community.
Tech & Data
Cutting-edge Financial Technology is a Must for Local Governments Recovering from the Pandemic
COMMENTARY | States and municipalities who have had to adopt remote services amid the coronavirus pandemic should scale up their digital infrastructure to maintain their ability to collect and reconcile payments. Doing so will help them to prevent disruptions to revenue flows and services.
Tech & Data