Author Archive
Stephanie Kanowitz
Emerging Tech
Cities dip into immersive technologies
Digital twins are helping streamline city planning and apprenticeship programs, but governments must step up adoption to fully realize the benefits, an expert says.
Emerging Tech
How the procurement process can help agencies acquire responsible AI
Buying artificial intelligence is not just about setting new policies to manage emerging technology, but applying tried-and-true processes, one expert says.
Finance
Whole-of-state procurement gives local agencies better pricing, expert advice
Initially used to extend cybersecurity throughout government, the whole-of-state concept is also being used to push training and software licensing contracts to local agencies.
Cybersecurity
See something, say something: Ethical hackers strengthen cyber resilience
Cities and states are increasingly adopting vulnerability disclosure policies that encourage “white hat” or ethical cybersecurity researchers to identify and report security weaknesses in government websites and systems.
Cybersecurity
Shining a light on shadow AI
Employees sometimes use artificial intelligence websites like ChatGPT to get more work done. But if they do so without approval, they may be putting their agency at risk.
Digital Government
No longer just nice to have: Data literacy essential to digital government
While more data-mature cities are seeing payoffs from upskilling staff, even small gains can make a big difference.
Digital Government
How to craft fair, transparent data-sharing agreements
Effective decision making often requires a complex process of gathering data from different sources. A new framework for data-sharing agreements streamlines the process.
Digital Government
Expungement backlogs swamp courts
Thousands of new expungement applications are causing months-long backlogs in jurisdictions with manual and paper-based processing. Automation can help.
Digital Government
Lessons from one state’s effort to modernize its criminal justice system
New York’s sweeping 2020 law sought to accelerate pre-trial processes with technology upgrades. But the state’s experience offers lessons for other jurisdictions undertaking similar efforts to modernize the justice system.
Management
Graying prisons face accelerating health care needs
Rapidly growing numbers of older inmates with diabetes, dementia and liver disease are forcing states to reevaluate early release policies and the social safety nets that might prevent incarceration.
Workforce
Job opportunities targeting workers with ADHD and autism gain traction
North Carolina wants to attract more neurodivergent people to IT work. It is one of many such initiatives in government.
Featured eBooks
Digital Government
How generative AI is being used to put the humanity back into government
Non-English speaking residents of Minnesota can more easily access driver and vehicle services thanks to a new generative AI-based virtual assistant that automatically translates English into Hmong, Spanish and Somali.
Cybersecurity
How one state pushes cybersecurity to local agencies
Arizona’s whole-of-state cybersecurity program gives local governments free access to cloud-based cybersecurity tools—an approach that extends security and helps build a problem-solving community.
Emerging Tech
State shifts mobile driver’s licenses into higher gear
Thanks to the growing adoption of smartphone wallets and mobile payment technologies like Apple Pay and Google Pay, Colorado officials expect the state’s mDL to gain wide acceptance.
Digital Government
Data helps some states boost renewals amidst Medicaid unwinding
Ex parte renewals, or those that use available data sources to redetermine Medicaid eligibility without requiring information from the individual, place the burden on the system—not on the participants or staff.
Management
Ways procurement can push efficiency and sustainability
By wringing more efficiency out of the buying process and building sustainability into statewide contracts, California’s Department of General Services aims to help the state meet its aggressive sustainability goals.
Finance
States put buying power to work for local governments
When states drive cooperative procurements, local agencies can take advantage of volume discounts, experienced contracting officers and a streamlined process.
Public Safety
How one city streamlined emergency evacuations
Officials in Berkeley, California, can send mass messages as well as targeted, zone-based evacuation alerts, cutting the city’s alert time from hours to minutes.
Digital Government
How to bake data-based evaluations into relief programs
A new initiative looks to help local leaders alleviate poverty and advance economic mobility using data to invest in evidence-based programs and evaluate innovative ideas.
Digital Government