• Maryland DNA Law to Face U.S. Supreme Court Test
• Source: Baltimore Sun   |   Maryland   |   November 13, 2012
• Maryland's DNA law, which allows police to take samples of suspects' genetic material for possible matches to other crimes, will be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court next year, the justices announced.

• Boston Invests in Hackers
• BY: Government Technology   |   Boston   |   November 12, 2012
• Boston launched a new hacker space to bring academics, industry professionals and the public sector together to solve problems.

• The Next New Energy Source: Alaskan Ice?
• Source: AP/USA Today   |   Alaska   |   November 12, 2012
• The U.S. Department of Energy and industry partners over two winters drilled into a reservoir of methane hydrate, which looks like ice but burns like a candle if a match warms its molecules.

• Ohio Voter Lawsuit Rejected by Judge
• Source: Politico   |   Ohio   |   November 7, 2012
• A federal judge rejected a lawsuit seeking an immediate halt on the equipment used in about 25 Ohio counties after a local activist claimed the software could be contaminated by viruses or human manipulation to flip the outcome of the presidential election.

• Transforming Procurement: Will iPads Replace Binders?
• BY: Brian Heaton   |   November 6, 2012
• Some states have started to offer vendors the option of submitting their responses to RFPs on tablet devices.
• 8 Comments

• Court to Decide Whether Ohio Voting Software is Vulnerable to Fraud
• Source: Christian Science Monitor   |   Ohio   |   November 6, 2012
• A local candidate says a crucial piece of Ohio vote-tallying software was not properly vetted by the state and could be hacked. A judge will hear the case on Election Day and decide whether to grant an injunction against use of the software Tuesday.

• Hacking of South Carolina's Tax Records Has Put States on Guard
• Source: New York Times   |   South Carolina   |   November 6, 2012
• The theft of tax information from a South Carolina computer system appears to have been the largest cyberattack ever on a state government and has put other states on high alert, computer security experts say.

• New Jersey to Allow Storm Victims to Vote by E-mail, Fax
• Source: Politico   |   New Jersey   |   November 5, 2012
• Using a system already accessible to military members deployed overseas, hurricane-damaged New Jersey will allow displaced residents to cast their votes using e-mail or fax on Election Day.

• Hurricane Forecasting May Suffer Under U.S. Weather Satellite Plan
• Source: NextGov   |   Nation   |   November 5, 2012
• The Obama administration’s plan to share weather satellite frequencies with commercial cellular carriers could severely degrade scientists’ ability to forecast hurricanes and monitor flooding, weather and spectrum, according to experts.

• New Election Monitoring Platform Empowers Voters
• BY: Brian Peteritas   |   November 1, 2012
• MyFairElection aims to make voters more active in monitoring their polling places to improve the fairness and quality of the electoral process.

• SC Hacking Victims Get Lifetime Identify Theft Protection
• Source: The State   |   South Carolina   |   November 1, 2012
• South Carolina taxpayers and their children who were victims of a massive data breach at the Department of Revenue will receive free lifetime credit fraud resolution, Gov. Nikki Haley announced Tuesday.
• 3 Comments

• Smarter Traffic Signals Could Make Commuting Easier
• BY: Steve Towns   |   November 2012
• Washington, D.C., one of the most congested cities in the country, is testing technology that could ease traffic gridlock.
• 2 Comments

• Prescription Drug Abuse Fight May Get Easier
• BY: David Levine   |   November 2012
• Nearly every state has a program to track prescription drugs, but most lack the technology to keep up. Pilot programs in Indiana and Ohio may change that.

• Microgrid Technology Faces Its 1st Big Test
• BY: Elizabeth Daigneau   |   November 2012
• After two storms left nearly 1 million Connecticut homes and businesses without power last year, the state began testing whether small electric grids can provide power even when the main grid loses it.

• In Vote-Counting, Human Errors Still Creep In
• BY: Alan Greenblatt   |   November 2012
• New York has been reluctant to embrace technology when it comes to counting votes. Could the state’s hesitation be the source for its recent election debacles? For full election coverage, go to Governing's Election Center.