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State legislatures will have a lot on their plates. They’ll deal with issues in wildly differing ways. We set the context for the 2020 session with an overview of abortion, election security, housing, immigration, net neutrality, pensions, pre-emption, recession fears, redistricting, vaping, and workforce.
A Twitter spokesperson said regarding a misleading video clip that appears to show Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden endorsing the U.S. as a European nation. Twitter is currently drafting new privacy policies around misleading or altered videos but it is unclear if it would result in removal of the clip. Misinformation concerns are growing in anticipation of the 2020 Census and then the election, and many social media platforms are changing their policies to expose these falsities. (The Hill — January 3, 2020).
The number of temporary workers that the U.S. Census will need nationwide to ensure that all households are accounted for. The workers are hired as employees, with benefits and disability coverage available, but it can be difficult to get people to apply for the jobs, especially in areas with low unemployment, like San Francisco. To get an accurate count in California’s Bay Area, the Census will need about 12,000 temporary workers.
In 2013, the ultra-high-speed Internet claimed that Austin, Texas, would become an economic and technological hub. But the black-and-white success that was described nearly seven years ago now looks a bit more gray.
The law requires that the Secretary of State maintain a list of those who voted, the preferred political party of each voter, “[and] must provide the list to the chair of each major political party,” causing privacy concerns.
As technology becomes more competent, ensuring that humanity isn’t replaced or lost is an important part of moving forward.
Bad actors are increasingly using artificial intelligence to manipulate images and video to misrepresent their subjects. As states work to legislate deepfake technologies, perhaps a federal approach would be better.
As more electric vehicles continue to roll onto American roads, EV charging stations have to follow suit. Some states have adequate charging infrastructure, but other states are extremely sparse and perpetuate “range anxiety.”
The financial system for any major organization is complex and that includes state and local government. Efforts to expand the capabilities of finance through new technology can lead to different results as these two examples show.
After a drone strike killed a high-ranking Iranian military official in Baghdad on Friday, American cybersecurity officials warn that the response could come in the form of cyberattacks.
Mary Stone Ross, one of the co-authors of California’s newest privacy law, which requires retailers to give an option to consumers to opt out of the sale of their personal data to third-party companies. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the law was designed with the intent to protect children: “The last thing you want is for any company to think that we’re going to be soft on letting you misuse kids’ personal information.” The California law also includes social media platforms and TV streaming services. (NPR, Reuters — December 30, 2019)
The amount scammers would be fined for illegal robocalling operations according to the new law that aims to reduce the number of robocalls Americans will receive in 2020. While the new law won’t reduce the number of robocalls immediately, Americans should expect to see the effects in about six months. Government officials hope that by reducing robocalls, less Americans will be subjected to scams that steal social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other personal information.
Studies found that workers were less discriminatory against their fellow human coworkers once robots were introduced. Differences between beliefs or political views suddenly paled in comparison to human and non-human.
Caring, passionate, and having always pushed back against the status quo, Beth Niblock has used her role as Detroit Chief Information Officer to revitalize the city with technology after a tough period of bankruptcy.
As preparations for the first primarily digital U.S. Census ramp up in communities across the country, experts continue to caution that there will be misinformation campaigns designed to deter participation.
Everything government does is affected by technological change. Chronicling that change, and the challenges it creates, is our new focus.
Patrick Ellis, one of the five Libra Association board members, said regarding the lack of a plan around Libra’s launch next year. The project’s team has had to delay the cryptocurrency’s launch due to unforeseen regulatory hurdles, but when asked if Libra would launch sometime in 2020, he said, “Yes. Yes, it’ll launch.” (Reuters — December 19, 2019)
The amount of money that has been collectively given from Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple to 2020 campaign contributions. The report by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that the amount included money from the companies, owners, employees, and their families. Big tech has become more involved with politics, donating money to candidate campaigns, changing policies, and redefining what constitutes “free speech.”
Tesla is barred from selling cars in the state of Connecticut, so the electric vehicle company has jimmied a solution: lease cars instead. The DMV says that this way, the carmaker is still in compliance with the law.
A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that technology assistance systems in vehicles caused distraction in drivers. The foundation reiterated that technology should assist, but not replace.
The Grid Modernization Research and Development Act of 2019 hopes to research a way to secure the U.S.’s power grid from natural disasters and cyberthreats. Americans want to have “working electricity to help keep them safe.”
The state has a new privacy law on Jan. 1 that will attempt to set new standards for consumer data protection. But as tech becomes a norm for shopping, house security, and daily activities, data is hard to regulate.
All levels of government, as well as the private sector, face growing dangers from cyberthreats. That’s why there needs to be a centralized approach to cyberpolicies before a crisis occurs.
Fifteen years ago, voters told the state to roll back the personal income tax rate to 5 percent. But that mandate is just now being met, according to Gov. Charlie Baker, who announced the new rate for Jan 1.
The plan includes hurricane flood reduction and coastal restoration projects, with more than half the money coming from settlements related to the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Nearly two dozen city and town levies have been proposed for the 2020 ballot, which will feature the presidential primary. While most are focused on schools, four levies address public safety agencies.
From a (reputed) nontraditional location for the penning of one of America's more popular Christmas songs, to a decked-out statue of the founder of Communism, we take a look at some less-than-conventional holiday festivities.
By building on the data they gave away in the HQ2 competition, they can support the real engine of job growth: entrepreneurship
“...which presents serious and immediate risks for U.S. national security.”
The number of U.S. states that aren’t planning on spending any extra money on the 2020 Census. The 26 states that are spending money to encourage participation are spending a combined total of nearly one-third of a billion dollars. For those governments that aren’t spending extra money, sometimes local governments, businesses, and philanthropies are stepping in to bridge the gaps.
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