Sunshine Week brings attention to state efforts to overhaul open records laws
As technology renders decades-old open records policies obsolete, states look to overhaul them. It is pitting government officials against good-government groups and reporters.
988 currently doesn't use geolocation services. Counties want to change that.
Counties are pushing for Congress to pass legislation that will require calls be routed based on location. Wireless carriers are already working with the federal government to start doing that.
Supreme Court clarifies when public officials can block citizens on social media
The Supreme Court unanimously found in a pair of cases that whether a government official can block a constituent on their personal social media account hinges on if a post is a state action or is private conduct.
Working-class people rarely have a seat ‘at the legislative table’ in state capitols
The dearth of working-class legislators raises concerns that economic challenges such as wage stagnation and the rising cost of living will get short shrift in state capitols.
What’s the status of your EMS?
COMMENTARY | As rural communities struggle to keep Emergency Medical Services operating, how do we assess the condition of those services? Are we asking the right questions?
Community groups step up to help rural agencies’ disaster recovery
Organizations like long-term recovery groups can help rural agencies get housing, financial, health care and food assistance to victims of natural disasters.
There are 100,000 fewer Election Day polling places in 2024
A major Supreme Court decision, a pandemic and localized issues have all conspired to reduce the number of physical voting locations. Advocates say that’s bad for democracy.
Why do our traffic laws prioritize speed over safety?
COMMENTARY | Reducing traffic accidents is not rocket science. Lower speeds mean fewer accidents and less severe injuries when crashes do occur.
Shapiro pitches carbon cap-and-invest plan to capitalize on Pennsylvania’s energy exports
The program could make could make the state a national clean energy leader, but critics claim it’s the same tax on electricity as the state’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
4th traffic light would benefit pedestrians and drivers
Adding a white phase to stoplights that communicate with autonomous vehicles would decrease delays at intersections by 25%, researchers say, even when pedestrians are added to the model.
$3.3B in federal grants announced for communities split apart by highways
The one-time infusion of cash for highway caps, bike trails and other improvements shows the Biden administration’s priorities for one of its most high-profile infrastructure initiatives.
Cities dip into immersive technologies
Digital twins are helping streamline city planning and apprenticeship programs, but governments must step up adoption to fully realize the benefits, an expert says.
From paper to portal: How one city brought tax filings online
Under an aggressive modernization strategy, Columbus, Ohio, has built a one-stop shop for filing income tax returns.
If schools won’t ban kids’ cellphones, some lawmakers say, they will
Florida now bans cellphones during class, and lawmakers elsewhere like the idea.
‘Brain gain’ in rural America and who is behind it
Young people leave their homes to explore and learn everywhere, not just in rural America. But rural spaces offer some unique advantages that inspire many to return and bolster their communities.
Biden proposes 'historic new program' to address child care shortages
In his budget, the president is asking Congress for more money for child care and the restoration of several pandemic-era programs, including the full child care tax expansion.
Why is it so hard to build housing near transit stops?
Two recent studies look at the obstacles to building more apartments and other dense housing options near transit to address environmental, urban development and housing goals.
17 million cyberattacks a day: How Oklahoma stops 99% of them
In a recent interview, the state’s CISO talks about zero trust, the upside to COVID and triaging the state’s aging tech infrastructure.
States push feds for greater online privacy protections for children
A bipartisan coalition of 43 attorneys general is urging the Federal Trade Commission to expand the definition of “personal information” to keep up with changes related to smartphones and social networks that play an increasing role in everyone’s life – including children.
Popular in cities, transit trip planning and payment apps are slowly coming to rural communities
The variable and underappreciated nature of rural public transit systems is why both Minnesota and Vermont decided to develop their own trip planning websites for rural areas.
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