Customer Experience

Filing taxes is hard. Here’s how agencies could help make it easier for residents.

As states increasingly turn to developing free, online tax filing tools for residents, civic tech experts said improving usability and experience is key.

Cybersecurity

Arizona police procedures exposed in massive policy database hack

Some agencies said they were unconcerned with the breach since the final documents are already publicly available.

Digital Government

Competing Senate bills try to answer the question, how should Utah power new data centers?

While Rocky Mountain Power may have to brace for competition, lawmakers debate whether they should regulate some energy resources.

Sponsor Content

The Budgeting Process: Governments Find Power in AI

Future-proof your budget with priority-driven solutions.

Public Safety

State fire agency taps augmented reality to train for ‘high-risk missions’

Augmented reality isn’t just for avid gamers. The technology is helping California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection prepare its flight crews for real-life emergencies like hoist rescues.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmaker warns of ‘patchwork’ state AI laws

Congress must take the lead on regulating the technology, said Rep. Jay Obernolte during a recent tech conference, otherwise the country risks a repeat of what has happened on data privacy laws.

Finance

How much does scientific progress cost? Without government dollars for research infrastructure, breakthroughs become improbable

It costs money to maintain the various facilities, utilities and personnel that allow scientists to conduct research in the first place. Without federal support, institutions are left scrambling.

Digital Government

Georgia was about to retire coal plants. Then came the data centers.

Utilities nationwide are falling back on fossil fuels to meet huge energy demand.

Artificial Intelligence

AI translation tools could improve trust in public safety efforts

Los Angeles County leveraged an AI tool to generate live translations during press conferences about wildfires and deliver critical safety information to residents more effectively.

Public Safety

Utah lawmaker wants police to disclose when they use artificial intelligence

A proposed bill would require law enforcement officers to disclose when and how they use the technology in police reports.

Digital Government

Legal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated – a legal scholar explains why, and how the law could catch up

COMMENTARY | US law tries to strike a balance between free speech and protecting people from harm. When it comes to child pornography, AI makes that task all the more difficult.

Cybersecurity

Navigating the increasing government cybersecurity challenges in 2025 and beyond

COMMENTARY | Identity security, resiliency and a whole-of-state approach are just some of the ways agencies can steel themselves against the ever-increasing threat landscape.

Sponsor Content

Enhancing Rapid Response With Mission Critical Push-To-Talk

Empowering public safety: T-Mobile Direct Connect MCPTT enhances communication for fast, secure, and reliable operations.

Artificial Intelligence

States must ‘keep delivering’ amid new Trump AI order

The pace of the new administration rescinding previous guidance and implementing their own might make leaders’ heads spin. But experts said they cannot be distracted from their own missions.

Digital Government

Utah lawmakers advance bill requiring age verification for app store purchases

The Utah Senate advanced a law to require app stores to verify the ages of customers to give parents more control over their kids' accounts.

Cybersecurity

A simple fix could stop millions in food stamp theft. Will New York commit?

Chip technology has been standard in credit and debit cards for a decade. They could stop New York’s surging rate of stolen benefits.

People

Amid DOGE push, states wrestle with defining ‘government efficiency’

Several states have instituted new committees in their legislatures in a bid to rein in spending. But others suggest the path to efficiency is less about grabbing headlines and more about finding new ways of working.

Cybersecurity

Kept in the dark: Inside a trio of Los Angeles school cyberattacks

A 74 investigative series: Meet the hired guns who make sure school cyberattacks stay hidden.

Digital Government

Texas’ social media law takes another hit with temporary blocks on three more provisions

The new injunction prohibits advertising and age verification restrictions in the SCOPE Act, which aims to make social media safer for teenagers.

Workforce

DEI controversy collides with state-level cyber workforce needs

Despite the federal government’s movement away from DEI practices, state agencies can still explore ways to broaden their cyber workforces to fill talent gaps.

Digital Government

Youth-focused social media mandates need teeth, not just training

Recent legislation in Iowa would require sixth through eighth graders to study the “effects of social media.” But experts caution that minors can’t just be warned about the platforms’ dangers.