Transparency
GOP-backed bill would help verify the results of hand-counted ballots in Texas
The proposal would require counties who choose to hand-count to use ballots that can be scanned and tabulated by a voting machine.
Can VotingWorks’ publicly viewable software code help restore faith in voting machines?
The nonprofit vendor argues that its approach will help satisfy demands for transparency and security.
Utah lawmaker wants police to disclose when they use artificial intelligence
A proposed bill would require law enforcement officers to disclose when and how they use the technology in police reports.
New Louisiana law serves as a warning to bystanders who film police: Stay away or face arrest
Louisiana is the fourth state to enact a so-called police buffer law, which allows officers to order people to keep their distance. Journalists say the law will make it harder to document when police use excessive force.
This state’s ‘unsexy’ AI policy takes transparency to the next level
From AI “nutrition labels” to keeping an inventory of artificial intelligence tools, Connecticut is embracing sweeping rules that would “talk to people about why we're using it, how we're using it.”
4 lessons from the federal open records process
COMMENTARY | State and local governments can take a page from the federal government’s FOIA playbook to boost their own efficiency and transparency.
As elections loom, congressional maps challenged as discriminatory will remain in place
With control of the House of Representatives hanging in the balance, the time-consuming appeals process means elections in multiple districts will take place using maps that have been challenged as discriminatory to voters of color.
Election laws fighting AI deepfakes need to be targeted and adaptable, report says
The technology’s use in voter suppression cannot be underestimated, according to a report from the progressive group NewDEAL. It recommends how states can craft laws to combat the threat.
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.
Trust in government, and opportunities to rebuild it
Confidence in state and local government may have been waning in recent years, but there are ways communities can help to bolster their resident’s faith in them.
Featured eBooks
Police departments are turning to AI to sift through millions of hours of unreviewed body-cam footage
Body camera video equivalent to 25 million copies of “Barbie” is collected but rarely reviewed. Some cities are looking to new technology to examine this stockpile of footage to identify problematic officers and patterns of behavior.
How Chicago became an unlikely leader in body-camera transparency
The city has a long history of brutal, violent policing, but its latest approach to body-worn cameras and police oversight could serve as a national model.
How police have undermined the promise of body cameras
Hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars have been spent on what was sold as a revolution in transparency and accountability. Instead, police departments routinely refuse to release footage—even when officers kill.
A road map for the lawful use of stop-and-frisk in Philadelphia–and elsewhere
With adequate training of officers and clear guidelines that increase transparency, police can use stop-and-frisk as a lawful mechanism to reduce crime and violence, while honoring residents’ constitutional rights.
2024 mission for state and local leaders: Protect democracy
COMMENTARY | By making voting easy, transparent and secure, state and local leaders can ensure election systems remain strong in 2024.
How efforts to restrict democracy in Ohio also make it harder to fight climate change
Gerrymandering, voter suppression, dark money and other moves insulate policymakers from accountability when they prop up fossil fuels at the expense of clean energy.
After George Floyd’s murder, more states require release of police disciplinary records
Lawmakers and advocates say open data on police disciplinary records would boost transparency, accountability and the ability to identify patterns of misconduct in law enforcement agencies.
AI could shore up democracy—Here’s one way
COMMENTARY | Public comment could soon swamp government officials and representatives, thanks to AI, but AI could also help spot compelling stories from constituents.
AI Is Used Widely, but Lawmakers Have Set Few Rules
Connecticut is the latest state to legislate new guardrails for artificial intelligence.
Key Parts of US Laws are Hard for the Public to Find and Read
Oblique or missing references to standards and codes specified by law make it difficult for judges, lawyers and the general public to comply with regulations.
