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States Take Lead Regulating Chemicals That are Contaminating Drinking Water
But funding is a concern. In Vermont, a new law required water systems to test for PFAS without providing money for the few that found they had contamination problems.
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Americans Go to the Library More Than Anywhere Else
New survey data found that library visits outstripped all other activities measured, including going to the movies or museums.
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Final DOD Cybersecurity Certification Model Due Friday
The Defense Department will seek information within weeks to build a sophisticated database that will serve as a repository for auditors.
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State Department CIO’s Plan to Reengineer Agency’s IT Process
The shift to cloud computing and agile development hit the State Department’s “sweet spot,” says CIO Stuart McGuigan.
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The VA’s First Chief Innovation Officer Aims to Speed Up the Delivery of Cost-Saving Services
Michael Akinyele’s mission is to find ways to innovate health care delivery and scale it across the enterprise.
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Binge Drinkers Are Drinking More Alcohol in Nine States, CDC Says
Fewer Americans are binge drinking, but consumption among those who do is on the rise.
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Bill Would Reform NSA Surveillance Program
Bipartisan legislation could curtail long-running National Security Agency data collection efforts.
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Granting Anonymity to State Lawmakers—Behind Tinted Windows
State law in Rhode island requires tinted car windows to let in a certain amount of light. One lawmaker wants to exempt General Assembly members from the rule, saying it's necessary to ensure safety.
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Unclear NSA CIO Role Puts the Agency’s IT at Risk, IG Says
Auditors report the position is not even in the agency’s organizational chart.
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Measuring the Cost of a State’s Car Economy
A new study attempts to come up with a dollar figure for how much cars, trucks and roads cost Massachusetts each year.
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California Plan to Reduce Homelessness Forces Cities, Counties to Step Up
A proposal by the governor’s Council of Regional Homeless Advisors would mandate that cities, counties and the state reduce homelessness or be vulnerable to court action.
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NSA Offers Advice on Securing Clouds
A CISA release noting the guidance directs administrators to an analysis of Microsoft Office 365.
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Federal Contract Award Data from FPDS Will Be on SAM Before Spring
With the FedBizOpps transition done, the Federal Procurement Data System reporting tool—one of the main functions of the website—will be the next to migrate to GSA’s central contracting site.
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For the First Time, a State Will Mandate Severance Pay During Mass Layoffs
Inspired by the closure of Toys ‘R’ Us amid bankruptcy, New Jersey passed a law to protect employees during large-scale cutbacks.
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State Lawmakers Backtrack on a Tax Code Revamp
Utah officials say they plan to scrap a law they passed just last month after it attracted widespread public opposition, in part because of a tax hike on groceries.
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Law Enforcement Will Have a Harder Time Seizing Property In This State
New Jersey approved two major changes to their civil asset forfeiture laws.
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Robocalls Reached New Highs in 2019. Can We Expect Fewer in 2020?
Each person in Washington D.C. received an estimated 600 calls, or 1.6 per day.
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JEDI’s Legal Challengers Make Their Next Moves
Amazon Web Services asks a federal judge to stop work on the cloud contract and Oracle knocks back assertions that the procurement was fair because Microsoft won.
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A Plan to Expand Workers Comp Benefits to First Responders with PTSD
The Wisconsin Senate this week approved a bill that would extend benefits available to full-time law enforcement officers and firefighters, but not apply to volunteers or EMTs.
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