State and Local
Labor cancels unemployment modernization grants for states
The grant dollars — which the agency has been doling out since Congress allocated funding for fraud and access work in 2021 — don’t align with department priorities anymore, Labor says.
Proposed moratorium on state-level AI regs aims to level the playing field, lawmaker says
Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick, a GOP member of last Congress’ House AI Task Force, spoke on Wednesday night about the need to avoid a jumble of different rules of the road for AI developers.
IRS announces 13 states where taxpayers could use its Direct File pilot
The agency has yet to commit to a long-term product for the in-house filing tool.
IRS seeks states’ input on its direct file pilot
States have until Sept. 4 to tell the IRS if they’re interested in participating.
Budget and tech challenges loom over IRS's direct file pilot
The news of the forthcoming pilot was followed this week by a compromise debt ceiling bill that includes reallocating $20 billion of the funding the IRS got as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Trust Will Be Key for US Notify—a Federal Text Message Service for State Benefits
The text service will be the first project to come out of the General Services Administration’s new Public Benefits Studio.
Energy Sets Aside $550 Million for State and Local Clean Energy Efforts
The money is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Public Entities in Nearly Every State Use Federally-Banned Foreign Tech, Report Says
A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology found that at least 1,681 state and local governments purchased equipment from five Chinese companies that were banned by the federal government between 2015 and 2021.
White House Announces $1B in Cyber Funding for State and Local Governments
The four-year grant program, included in last year’s infrastructure law, will help states and local communities “strengthen their cyber resilience.”
White House Looks to Government and Community Data Collaboration to Promote Equity
The public has until Oct. 3 to comment on several questions related to this endeavor.
Legislation Promoting Cyber Collaboration Between DHS and States Awaits Biden Signature
The legislation would improve information sharing between federal cybersecurity authorities and state and local governments.
New cybersecurity bill authorizes DHS to ramp up incident response efforts nationwide
The National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act gives the Department of Homeland Security a range of opportunities to bolster cybersecurity preparedness at the state and local level, including and technical assistance services.
Featured eBooks
Infrastructure Law’s Digital Equity Goals Are Key to Smart Cities that Work for Everyone
Smart cities promise a shining future, but without deliberate efforts to include underserved communities they can worsen the digital divide.
GAO: Better Data Collection Can Improve Homelessness Estimates
Auditors suggest the Housing and Urban Development Department can improve its homeless estimates by gathering better data at the local level.
The struggle to modernize state UI systems
The Labor Department and the U.S. Digital Service are taking a central role in efforts to develop modernized, modular UI technology for states.
2020 Census May Have Missed More Than 1.6M Residents
New research from the Urban Institute found that minorities were likely underrepresented in the population count, leaving some states with a windfall of federal funding while others came up short.
Elections Officials Are Still Receiving Death Threats and Harassment About the 2020 Election. They’re Asking Congress For Help.
Three state and local election officials testified before a Senate committee about their terrifying experiences since last year’s election in support of proposed voting reform legislation.
Most Local Governments Provide Cyber Awareness Training. Why Do 25% Let Elected Leaders Opt Out?
A new survey from the CompTIA Public Technology Institute highlights cybersecurity concerns among municipal IT professionals, including remote work and rising insurance premiums.
Texas Republicans Want to Make the State the Center of the Cryptocurrency Universe
North America’s largest bitcoin mine sits just down the road from the old aluminum plant, about 60 miles northeast of Austin.
Natural Disasters Can Set the Stage for Cyberattacks
Indiana and some other state and local governments are trying to prepare by holding drills or creating preparedness plans.
