Digital Government
Survey: Residents want local governments to be more transparent
The vast majority of respondents want an accessible website with easy to access information and mobile tech to make it easier to engage with local agencies, according to a government technology company.
Management
Why fentanyl trafficking enforcement may fall short
Several states this year passed laws targeting drug traffickers through increased penalties. But one expert says efforts to curb the fentanyl supply could open the doors for newer, more dangerous substances to arise.
Management
In scrapping its LGBTQ-related travel ban, California pivots to ‘hearts and minds’
Lawmakers nixed a seven-year ban on state-funded travel to states that enact discriminatory laws.
Sponsor Content
Data Is the Key to Thwarting Ransomware
State, local and education networks face rising phishing and ransomware attacks, in which criminals steal a trove of personal identifiable data.
Digital Government
Predictive policing software terrible at predicting crimes
A software company sold a New Jersey police department an algorithm that was right less than 1% of the time.
Digital Government
Should public officials be allowed to block constituents on social media?
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to answer that question as a new term gets underway. The justices will hear two cases on the issue out of California and Michigan in which lower courts ruled differently.
Emerging Tech
The hazards of facial recognition in schools
New York has banned the emerging technology in its schools, arguing that the concerns surrounding it “are not outweighed by the claimed benefits.” Plus, more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.
Management
A Richmond program to reduce gun violence has had rare success. Now it’s expanding.
Research shows that 76% of its nearly 2,000 participants were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital for gun violence.
Finance
Why this shutdown could be even more significant for states and localities
Not all states, cities and counties are the same when it comes to shutdowns, but some places will feel it more acutely than others.
Infrastructure
Disaster recovery projects stall nationwide as FEMA runs out of money
The agency has paused $2.8 billion in spending as it braces for a looming government shutdown.
Workforce
Amid a youth mental health crisis, teachers get schooled
Educators, who are on the front lines of the issue, are increasingly being trained in how to recognize signs of mental distress in their students.
Featured eBooks
Management
Cities turn to GIS mapping to find housing for the homeless
As a nationwide housing shortage continues to push people into homelessness, cities like Denver and Los Angeles are turning to data to help locate public land to put housing on.
Sponsor Content
2023 Public Records Complexity Benchmark Report
Read the complexity report to learn what successful public record request management looks like in 2023.
Infrastructure
In unique approach, one county utilizes a P3 to build public schools
Instead of it taking six years to build six schools, it took three. The first-of-its-kind project saved Prince George’s County, Maryland, millions of dollars—and includes 30 years of maintenance.
Management
Juries often struggle to understand forensic science. A short training video could help.
COMMENTARY | One out of every five wrongful convictions cataloged through September 2023 involved improper forensic evidence. Studies indicate that just a little training could help jurors avoid sending innocent people to prison.
Finance
FEMA is being sued for making flood insurance too expensive—and too cheap
The price isn't right, according to two lawsuits against the federal agency. The suits, one of which was brought by Louisiana and Republican state AGs, claim that high insurance rates could put residents at risk of economic ruin, but low rates do little to stop developments on at-risk land.
Finance
Cannabis banking bill closer to a vote in the U.S. Senate
The bill would address a problem that has led to half of the nation’s cannabis dispensaries being robbed or burglarized.
Infrastructure
Biden administration warns of risks to air and rail safety if government shuts down
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also said that a shutdown and proposed GOP cuts could affect efforts to fight the fentanyl epidemic, as well as disaster relief operations.
Digital Government
One city’s ‘data conversations’ help confront pressing challenges
Faced with water shortages, Henderson, Nevada, has turned to a data-driven approach to solve it. It’s now rolling out its approach to other departments citywide.
Finance
With the farm bill set to expire, Congress is still months away from a new version
A looming government shutdown has slowed the process even more. Among the key areas of disagreement is the SNAP program, a huge spending portion of the bill that helps low-income families buy food.
Workforce