Regulations

Federal Infrastructure Funding is Good, but Local Governments Want Flexibility Too

Accessing federal funds for infrastructure projects is much too difficult, county leaders say. With reauthorization of the FAST Act on the table, they want a bigger say in how money can be spent.

  • By Emma Coleman

The End of Cyberspace

Internet theorists and companies once declared themselves free of nations and governance, but that’s all over now.

  • By Alexis Madrigal, The Atlantic

As Feds Expand Guest Worker Visas, Many Companies Say More Still Needed

Competition is stiff for businesses seeking H-2B visas. And the worker shortages have been felt all over the country, in a range of industries.

  • By Timothy B. Clark

Expunging Criminal Records Offers Clear Benefits—But Few People Take Advantage

New research finds that automatic expungement of nonviolent criminal records could be a boon for eligible offenders, but few apply when the process is complicated.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

The Race to Code the Curb

Everyone—from ride-hailing cars to delivery trucks to bikes and scooters—wants a piece of the curb. How can smart cities map and manage this precious resource?

  • By Laura Bliss and Andrew Small, CityLab

Empowering Regulators Could Stop the Next Equifax Breach, Watchdog Says

Giving the regulatory agencies more power to punish companies after breaches could make industry invest more in cybersecurity, according to the Government Accountability Office.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Federal Court Deals Airbnb a Blow in its Fight Against Local Regulations

“This case is hugely significant,” says one legal scholar.

  • By Bill Lucia

The FAA Rigorously Tested the Boeing 737’s Software

So how did a problem slip through?

  • By Alexis Madrigal

Big Tech Claps Back at Warren’s Proposal to Break Up Amazon, Google, Facebook

The tech industry doesn’t think Sen. Warren’s idea to break up big tech companies is a good idea.

  • By Frank Konkel

House Lawmakers Want to Avoid a Patchwork of State Data Privacy Laws

Experts outlined what they would like to see included in a federal data privacy law.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Why the Amazon Pushback Is Also About Immigrants

After the HQ2 cancellation in Queens, Amazon’s connections to federal immigration enforcement are drawing scrutiny and criticism in other cities, too.

  • By Tanvi Misra and Sarah Holder, CityLab

Federal Officials Want Public Input on Election Tech Requirements

The most recent Voluntary Voting System Guidelines include a call for paper ballots.

  • By Jack Corrigan

FAA Wants to Protect First Responders from Drone Bombs

Under a new ruling, law enforcement officers would be able to identify drones from afar.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Why Our Government Leaders Must Take the Wheel on Self-Driving Vehicles in 2019—and How They Can Do it

Such vehicles will enable older adults, people with disabilities and people who are housebound to get around with greater ease.

  • By Gary Shapiro

Amazon Proposes Facial Recognition Guidelines to Policymakers

The company called for “open, honest and earnest dialogue” instead of a ban.

  • By Frank Konkel

When Regulating New Tech Harms Public Safety

Facial recognition technology is new and nascent, but not a departure from the innate abilities humans are born with. Efforts by states to limit its use harms public safety and deters innovation.

  • By Carl Szabo

The Coming Digitization of the Regulatory Environment

Here's what the U.S. can learn about digitizing regulations from two of the largest economies.

  • By Mark Forman

FAA Rule Would Let Drones Fly Over People and At Night Without a Waiver

The move would greatly open the use of small drones but at least one lawmaker is worried about the privacy of people on the ground.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Keep the Faith: America’s GDPR Will Come

What should it look like? How should companies prepare?

  • By Jonathan Reiber

Inside the Bill That Set the ‘Strongest Clean Energy Requirement in the Nation’

Washington, D.C. is on track to set a more ambitious timeline for fighting climate change than any state.

  • By Nicole Javorsky, CityLab