State and Local Government

'The Internet Has Made Us Dumber,' and Other Lessons Government Officials Learned in 2020

State and local officials weigh in on what they're taking from—and leaving behind in—the dumpster fire that was last year.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Biden Calls for $350 Billion in State and Local Aid as Part of Massive Stimulus

The president-elect released details on Thursday for a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

  • By Bill Lucia

Customers Won't Wear a Mask? One State Says to Call the Police.

Updated guidance from the New Hampshire Attorney General's office instructs businesses to call local law enforcement for assistance if customers simply refuse to comply with a statewide mask mandate.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Two Virginia Police Officers Charged in U.S. Capitol Riot

At least a dozen law enforcement agencies are investigating their officers' possible involvement in the episode. The arrest of two Rocky Mount officers marks the first federal charges related to the riot filed against law enforcement officers.

  • By Andrea Noble

Airbnb Cancels Rentals in Washington, D.C. Region for Inauguration Week

The company’s decision to cancel and block lodging rentals comes after leaders from the District, Maryland and Virginia urged people to stay away.

  • By Andrea Noble

States Plan for Large-Scale Coronavirus Vaccinations at Stadiums and Other Sites

As Covid-19 vaccines become available to broader segments of the public, states are establishing facilities where thousands of doses can be administered daily.

  • By Andrea Noble

Report: Stop Lines do Little to Encourage Drivers to Stop

Stop lines, the thick white bars painted ahead of intersections, do little to prevent crashes or influence driver behavior, a 14-year study found.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

More State and Local Job Losses in December

The total number of jobs lost in the state and local public sector is now approaching 1.4 million. December was also a grim month for leisure and hospitality employment.

  • By Bill Lucia

State and Local Officials Respond to Violence at U.S. Capitol

Many officials said the episode was incited by President Trump, with some suggesting that he should be removed from office. But at least one Republican governor said the president is not to blame for the actions of his supporters.

  • By Emma Coleman

With Schools Deemed Low-Risk for Covid, One State Urges a Return to Hybrid Learning

Delaware Gov. John Carney asked schools to resume at least some in-person instruction by Monday, saying that state health data showed that schools have not been significant sources of infection.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

New Law Aims to Help Localities Shift to '.Gov' Web Addresses

Many local governments rely on “.com” or “.org” URLs, making it easier for cyber criminals to trick users with imposter websites.

  • By Bill Lucia

Survey: Residents Prefer Multiple Ways to Access Local Government Services

But the specific type of access that residents prefer—in-person visits, phone calls, or digital—depends on where they live and how old they are.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

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State CIOs in 2020

A Decrease in Student Transfers Could Have Lasting Effects on Education Mobility

Transfers by college students decreased by 8%, with disproportionate impacts to minorities and community-college students, according to research from the National Student Clearinghouse.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Where Year Two of the Pandemic Will Take Us

As vaccines roll out, the U.S. will face a choice about what to learn and what to forget.

  • By Ed Yong, The Atlantic

Heading Into 2021, State and Local Budget Gloom Lingers

Revenues are better than initially expected in some states. But they’re still down in many places as the cost of the pandemic response adds up.

  • By Bill Lucia

The Big Lesson of 2020

COMMENTARY | 2020 should teach all of us that we can no longer ignore our biggest challenges.

  • By Alisha Powell Gillis

New York Leaders Call for Restrictions on UK Flights

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Record numbers of Vermonters hunt and fish during pandemic ... Oklahoma recruits out-of-state tourists while feds urge limits on travel ... Hawaii governor warns of deep budget cuts.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Government Agencies Interest in Digitizing Paper Records Grows

Paper records account for more than half of the records kept by 52% of government agencies that responded to a recent survey.

  • By Andrea Noble

Biden Urges Governors to Support Reopening Schools by April

In a virtual call with members of the National Governors Association, President-elect Joe Biden reiterated his desire for most schools to return to in-person learning in the first 100 days of his administration.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Bipartisan Lawmakers Offer Two-Part Covid Relief Package

A $748 billion proposal would fund initiatives like unemployment insurance and the Paycheck Protection Program, while a separate $160 billion bill would provide state and local aid, but also a liability shield.

  • By Andrea Noble

Report: States Most Vulnerable to Climate Change Are Among the Least Prepared

New research suggests that states that are most vulnerable to the health effects of climate change—including flooding, food shortages and heat-related deaths and illnesses—have done the least to prepare to handle them.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram