Data center ‘gold rush’ pits local officials’ hunt for new revenue against residents’ concerns
Without state regulations to guide them, Georgia counties are taking vastly different approaches to managing the surge in data center proposals.
BEAD changes broke the law, federal watchdog finds
The Government Accountability Office found that last summer’s tweaks to the program should be submitted to Congress for approval before they can take effect.
Alabama lawmaker pushes for screen time limits for children
Jeana Ross, R-Guntersville, said research shows that less screen time for children from birth until five years old helps build social skills.
In 2026, more data center regulations could be coming in Maryland
It’s likely that large scale data centers, which have a large presence in neighboring Virginia, will make their way to Maryland in greater numbers in the years ahead.
What people really want from digital government services
COMMENTARY | Interactions with government happen at crucial moments in people’s lives, but can be dogged by confusing processes. Research shows they want simplicity.
AI’s elections impact likely to grow next year, report warns
Experts warned that 2025 was just the “tip of the iceberg” in how the technology could be used, especially in deepfakes and misinformation campaigns.
Inside Eric Adams’ school Chromebook spending spree in New York City
The Adams administration shelled out north of $320 million to give public school students Chromebooks that connect to the internet through cell service. Most already have internet at home.
5 reasons delivery teams should include policy experts in the age of AI
COMMENTARY | Policy experts are uniquely equipped to leverage AI in bridging the gap between policy and implementation.
Agriculture focuses on SNAP fraud, while experts worry EBT theft will go unabated
“The most damaging form of fraud in SNAP is fraud where the low-income recipients are the victims, not the perpetrators,” a senior analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argues.
An AI tool built by local government, for local government
Washoe County, Nevada, is helping develop an AI tool aimed at meeting the unique needs and demands of its residents and employees.
‘Reckoning’ coming in state and local cyber
This year brought all manner of uncertainty about the relationship with the federal government to defend against threats. Next year looks to be more of the same, albeit with more intense threats.
Hochul signs watered down AI regs, but New York lawmakers still got some wins
After Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed completely rewriting the bill with exact wording from a weaker California law, legislators negotiated back in measures that went beyond the West Coast version.
Trio of Michigan Senate Democrats introduce policy to address data center water usage
Environmental and consumer advocacy watchdogs warn these facilities can herald skyrocketing energy rates while harming drinking water access in nearby communities.
How an AI agent can help caseworkers maintain the ‘human relationship’ with clients
In California, Riverside County is experimenting with an AI agent that aims to help caseworkers focus more on supporting public benefit recipients and less on administrative tasks.
States embrace cloud centers of excellence amid modernization push
Speakers at the forefront of the move to the centers said at last week’s GovExec Cloud Summit they help build governance, best practices and employee skills.
Failure to activate: When Utah officers violate body-cam policies
The Utah Investigative Journalism Project filed nearly 170 records requests with 48 Utah law enforcement agencies about body camera use.
Texas lawmakers from both parties oppose Trump’s order targeting state AI laws
Texas’ new law regulating AI is set to take effect Jan. 1, two months after Trump’s executive order threatening to cut off some federal money if states pass “onerous” AI laws.
How AI is helping local governments access federal grant funding
COMMENTARY | Before, employees had to sift through hundreds of pages of information and fill out unique applications. AI has made the process more streamlined and less time-consuming.
Louisiana’s age-check law for social media is unconstitutional, federal judge rules
The Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act calls for all social media sites with more than 5 million users to make “reasonable efforts” to obtain proof of age to establish an account.
Meeting with developers, New Hampshire representatives assess AI tools, concerns
Legislators and officials could conscript AI agents to streamline their work, but such tools also carry risks and warrant regulation, employees of AI developer Anthropic said to representatives at a Dec. 15 meeting of the caucus.
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