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At heated City Council hearing, Philly tech officials “failed” their first AI test
At a contentious hearing on artificial intelligence in government, lawmakers and community advocates expressed grave concerns about the city’s preparedness for the AI era.
Preparing New York for evolving cyber threats
An interview with New York State Deputy Chief Cyber Officer for Operations Michaela Lee.
New York City turns to data sharing to help the formerly incarcerated reenter society
A six-month pilot program aims to expedite the process for people leaving a carceral setting to obtain a government-issued ID, the lack of which often stymies their ability to get assistive services, officials say.
Here’s how NY plans to regulate kids’ use of social media
The state attorney general’s office released draft rules around age verification and prohibitions on showing algorithmic feeds to minors without parental permission.
Inside New York City’s new academy to grow IT talent
The city launched its first Information Technology Management Academy last month. Officials say they hope to support employees’ long-term career growth in technology.
Police reflect on Hurricane Katrina’s public safety communications legacy
Amid commemorations of the hurricane’s 20th anniversary, those who responded remember how tough it was to communicate and said people must take those lessons into the future.
Their childhoods are on display for millions. States want to protect them.
‘Kidfluencers’ are taking the internet by storm, with few rules for their parents.
Fraud-fighting oversight committee gets a life extension in Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee was set to sunset in September, but now has life through 2034.
Birmingham, Alabama ‘steadfast’ in Tech Hub commitment
The Magic City received a $44 million federal implementation grant in January, only to see it rescinded in May. Mayor Randall Woodfin said he is confident of final success, but otherwise will keep building the city as a tech leader.
Maryland already seeing ‘big impact’ from federal DOGE cuts
Cuts thus far in 2025 are hitting as hard as two years of federal sequestration cuts a decade ago, state Comptroller Brookie Lierman said. Maryland is now looking to further diversify its economy.
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Civic tech leaders worry DOGE is ‘tarnishing’ its tools to improve government
USDS, the White House team DOGE took over in January, was a flagship civic tech organization. Six months later, civic tech is figuring out what’s next.
State DOGEs’ next frontiers could preempt local authority
Specific legislation designed to strip localities of their power has been introduced in several states, all in the name of government efficiency.
‘Water is complicated’: Utah looks to data-driven future for natural resources
The state is embarking on a management refresh for its Great Salt Lake amid competing oversight and the ever-present threat of drought. Tech and AI could help make that revamp easier.
Cities prepare for ‘quite epic’ World Cup next year
The tournament will bring millions of fans and 48 teams to 11 cities in the U.S. It makes for a lot of logistical headaches, but leaders said they will be ready and will build a legacy.
Partnership for Public Service launches AI Center for Government
The good-government nonprofit said the center will focus on developing AI leaders, building talent and allowing agencies at all levels of government to share information and best practices.
Majority of applicants say they’d use AI agent to navigate public benefits processes
A new survey from Salesforce found that 87% of respondents would use an AI agent. Many of the public feel interactions with government agencies can be challenging and leave behind billions of dollars in unclaimed benefits because of it.
Bill would add protections for children used as content by social media influencers
HB 392 gives legal, financial protections to minors for appearance in parent blogs and other social media content.
Democrats push Justice Department to keep Election Threats Task Force amid rollbacks
The task force was created to help protect election officials from stalking and threats, but its future remains in question after the Trump administration scrapped other election integrity initiatives.
Mapping vulnerability in Arlington County, Virginia
Local leaders last month released the Community Vulnerability Index Map, which uses various data points to find vulnerable populations and inform where resources should be allocated.
New bill would loosen various BEAD rules
Republicans have long complained about some of the broadband program’s requirements and preference for fiber. New legislation would tweak many of those rules.
