AGs in both Carolinas target Chinese app linked to international fentanyl trade
The Chinese messaging app WeChat has more than a billion users globally. Six state attorneys general want to know how it is fighting its use for money laundering.
Washington to rein in fast drivers with speed limiters
A new state law set to take effect in 2029 will require repeat speeding offenders to install the devices in their vehicles.
Encryption needs balance between privacy and transparency, Virginia tech leader says
The recent “Signalgate” incident highlighted reliance on encrypted messaging apps and tools, even as state and local officials must be cautious to preserve the public’s right to see their communications.
Albany’s blueprint for schools: cell-free halls, looser Yeshiva rules, new aid math
It’s up to school districts in New York to figure out how to implement cellphone bans, but the budget does include $13.5 million to assist districts in purchasing supplies that can help.
Ken Paxton says Google will pay Texas $1.4B to settle privacy suit
The state attorney general sued Google in 2022, alleging it unlawfully tracked and collected users’ private data.
Raleigh to launch self-service portal for residents
Officials in the North Carolina city say they want to simplify the way its 500,000 residents engage with its agencies through its “Ask Raleigh” customer experience center.
Tech helps New Jersey house unsheltered veterans
More than 30,000 U.S. veterans were unsheltered last year. New Jersey is turning to a cloud-enabled platform to streamline and expedite efforts to get veterans in the state housed.
Senate votes to repeal rule allowing Wi-Fi hotspot loans
Senators passed a resolution overturning an FCC rule that allows schools and libraries to use E-Rate funds to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots. Opponents said the effort would only widen the digital divide.
Backers urge Ohio lawmakers to pass AI restrictions
The measure focuses on prohibiting deepfake child pornography but also require watermarks and punishes AI identity fraud.
Texas lawmakers want to spend millions on Child ID kits. Experts say there’s no evidence they work.
Texas legislators slipped millions for child ID kits into a 1,000-page budget proposal. The move comes two years after they quietly cut funding for such kits following a ProPublica and Texas Tribune report that showed there’s no evidence they work.
Doing less with less: Coping with federal cutbacks and fiscal uncertainty
COMMENTARY | Shrinking revenues and rising costs put state and local governments in a bind, especially as the federal government retreats. Strategic austerity might be the path forward.
How states can prepare to leverage AI for benefits eligibility
As benefits application backlogs continue to mount, artificial intelligence could help ease the squeeze on already strained caseworkers, experts say.
Alabama governor to weigh cellphone ban bill
Gov. Kay Ivey in her 2025 State of the State endorsed legislation to ban cellphones in schools, saying that social media is negatively impacting students.
California regulator weakens AI rules, giving Big Tech more leeway to track you
Pressure from the governor preceded the AI regulation retreat. Big tech gets more leeway to help make decisions or target ads.
Problem solved: How data makes cities more efficient, effective and attuned to AI
COMMENTARY | If the public sector wants to operate at peak performance, it must harness its data and deploy it across all its functions. Cities across the world are showing what is possible.
Watchdog details how to build community trust in smart cities
A new report from the Government Accountability Office offers policy suggestions for officials to ensure smart city tech can be deployed in communities safely and effectively.
Data centers defend environmental record amid AI push
Several states are worried about the power and water impacts of the centers needed to power the technology. But the industry moved to assure those concerned that they have it under control.
New York’s cellphone ban: Exemptions, enforcement, and costs explained
Under the policy, school districts across the state will have until this summer to craft their implementation plans and must begin enforcing them at the start of next school year.
Bill requiring app stores to verify age for minors in Alabama stalls in House committee
A bill to require age verification when creating app store accounts in Alabama stalled in a House committee.
Building a pipeline of state and local tech workers
States continue to fret about the brain drain from a generation of retirees. But some are thinking hard about how to get the next generation in, whether they be early-career employees or existing ones in need of new skills.
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