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Reforms that address police violence against communities of color won't be effective unless we reduce governments' over-reliance on revenue from fines and court fees for minor offenses.
The week in cybersecurity includes news about a surge in COVID-related hacking attacks on government and colleges and how facial recognition technology is losing ground as demands rise for police reform.
How the city advanced equitable economic growth as a policy, practice, and culture
Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill making the Granite State the first in the U.S. to allow flying cars onto its public roads. Pilots will be allowed to drive from airports to their final terrestrial destination.
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, speaking of additional funding needed this year to ensure that the general elections are safe and accessible to everyone even amidst coronavirus concerns. (NPR — July 24, 2020)
The proportion of families that experienced layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic that now believe their jobs are lost forever. In April, 78 percent thought that their job loss would be temporary.
San Diego officials are using the coronavirus pandemic to accelerate its plans of becoming a ‘city of the future’ by having more people work from home, utilizing more technology and streamlining how the city serves its public.
The police did not divulge the loss of 269 gigabytes worth of information taken from a consortium of intelligence gathering centers. Many are wondering what this says about the cybersecurity of law enforcement data.
As Congress considers a possible second round of coronavirus relief funds, many companies are wondering about the efficiency of the Payment Protection Program if there were errors in their first round of loans.
When students went home in March, some college towns lost half their populations. Tax and utility revenues have dropped and those cities are still wondering what sort of economies they'll have in the fall.
COVID-19 has accelerated government's move to new workplace arrangements. A Tennessee program that has significantly cut the state's office space needs shows the way to build on those gains.
In a time of crisis, behavioral science offers insights into how to reduce the paperwork and other administrative burdens that prevent people from taking advantage of crucial support services.
Sonja Diaz, a lawyer and scholar, talks about immigrants, who are disproportionately represented among essential workers but have received little in the way of COVID-19 aid. The pandemic has left them in limbo.
Portland, Ore., Mayor Ted Wheeler, commenting on federal law enforcement’s ongoing presence to subdue protests throughout the city. Wheeler was tear-gassed by federal officers as he joined protestors early Thursday morning. (Reuters — July 23, 2020)
The average number of new coronavirus cases every hour in the United States, the highest rate in the world.
There have been 61 expressway shootings so far this year, compared to 52 for all of 2019. Police want to install cameras and license plate scanners to better track suspects, but many are concerned about privacy.
A bill that will temporarily ban facial recognition in New York state public schools just needs a signature from the governor. The bill comes a year after the Lockport School District proposed using the technology.
The Employment Department has been processing claims more slowly than anticipated, but the original 70,000 claims have been cut to 44,000 and officials are optimistic that they’ll work through the remainder by Aug. 4.
While the pandemic continues to rage, hurricane season is looming. Emergency managers need to be ready not only for threats to life and property but also for new and complex financial challenges.
The pandemic has stressed the federalist system to the point of open conflict. The feds, states and localities are all at odds over responses to health, the economy and public safety.
COVID-19 has already hit state and local government hard, and it’s still spreading at a time when it had been predicted to recede. Legislators are trying to keep up with the consequences with a range of new bills.
Sens. Patrick Leahy and Mike Lee, writing in a letter to the attorney general and the director of national intelligence that cited concerns of mass surveillance programs. (The Hill — July 21, 2020)
The amount that Florida will put towards new fast electric vehicle charging stations that will be built this summer and will span over 1,200 miles. The stations will increase the number of publicly available EV chargers in the state by more than 50 percent.
The pandemic has exacerbated the inefficiencies health-care specialists experience when it comes to sharing patient data. For many, a doctor can only treat a patient properly if they have access to all the patient’s information.
The extra $600 each week in federal unemployment benefits that jobless workers have been receiving during the pandemic is scheduled to end soon. Many are wondering what impacts the program’s end will have on the economy.
For weeks, New York was the nation’s largest hot spot of coronavirus cases, but after diligent lockdowns, its numbers have plummeted. Now, California is becoming the nation’s hot spot as case numbers continue to rise.
Amid calls to reduce police funding, a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that in 2017, police spending per capita recovered to its pre-recession peak after years of steady increases.
Sen. Ron Wyden proposed a permanent expansion to telemedicine services to Congress this week, a suggestion that comes after the success of the technology throughout the coronavirus pandemic. (The Hill — July 20, 2020)
The proportion of Hispanic Americans that have had to delay bill payments during the coronavirus pandemic. By contrast, only 14 percent of white Americans have had to delay their payments.
Election officials must work to combat the spread of disinformation ahead of the 2020 elections. Some are working to combat individual incorrect tweets, while others are turning to statewide emails or YouTube ads.
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