Workforce
Biden administration forgives $4.5B in student debt for public service workers
The president said that more than 1 million public servants to date have had their federal student debt canceled.
Management
Increasing the impact of opioid settlement funds
COMMENTARY | States bear a heavy responsibility to administer and leverage the money for the public’s benefit. They can do that through a data-driven approach.
Infrastructure
The secret ingredient in Biden’s climate law? City trees.
Planting trees in cities sounds simple. Here's why the Forest Service is spending $1.5 billion on it.
Sponsor Content
The State of Government Payments: Insights From 2024 Research
State and local governments have made strides in enhancing online payments, but they must continue to mature their payment systems to meet rising constituent expectations while maintaining back-office efficiency.
Management
Millions of aging Americans are facing dementia by themselves
At least 4.3 million people 55 or older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live alone in the United States, according to estimates from University of California-San Francisco research.
Management
Bird flu is spreading across the U.S. How worried should you be?
From dairy testing to bird culling, public health officials say there are ways to keep avian influenza in check to avoid widespread disaster.
Infrastructure
Virginia goes all in on passenger rail
A new rail bridge into Washington, D.C., is viewed as crucial to expanding rail service in the state, which has seen record-setting ridership in recent years.
Digital Government
What states learned from the CrowdStrike outage
Three months since a faulty update caused outages and disruptions worldwide, state CIOs are looking back and assessing how they did.
Management
Preschools teach ‘hardly any math,’ even as students struggle in later grades
Math advocates say more early math, taught through play or games, can help students later.
Infrastructure
Nuclear power could solve US electricity needs. But at what cost?
State lawmakers are increasingly eyeing nuclear power to boost clean energy. But as Three Mile Island and a Michigan reactor aim to restart, critics question whether the cost makes sense.
Digital Government
A new initiative looks to makes courts more accessible to the public
About 30 million people in the U.S. navigate often complex court cases without lawyers. Illinois is leveraging tech and libraries to change that.
Featured eBooks
Management
How renters often get left behind in disaster recovery
Renters with tight budgets face unique struggles in recovering from natural disasters. Few localities and states have targeted plans to help them beyond the first few months of recovery.
Sponsor Content
AI for the Public Sector: Use Red Hat OpenShift AI for efficient model deployment
Discover how Red Hat OpenShift AI allows data science teams to build, tune, and deploy models efficiently across various environments.
Management
In a state with school vouchers for all, low-income families aren’t choosing to use them
Working-class parents often express interest in vouchers. But in Arizona, the nation’s school choice capital, these families aren’t using them due to the inaccessibility of private schools and the costs of transportation, meals and uniforms.
Finance
Oregon could become the first state to tax big companies and send the cash to all residents
Some opponents say the rebate will drive up consumer costs far more than sales taxes would.
Management
States own lands on reservations. To use them, tribes have to pay.
Schools, hospitals, prisons and other institutions in 15 states profit from land and resources on 79 tribal nations.
Management
Weeks before the election, and some states still don't know who's allowed to vote
A blizzard of GOP lawsuits and the devastation of two hurricanes are complicating plans for administering the 2024 general election.
Finance
State, local guaranteed income programs set the stage for federal action
A growing body of research shows that local-level cash assistance initiatives can improve financial, housing and other outcomes for recipients. Federal lawmakers are taking notice.
Management
California inspired a wave of plastic bag bans—with an unfortunate loophole
The Golden State finally fixed its ban last month, but at least five other states still allow the distribution of extra-thick "reusable" plastic bags.
Management
20 states sue feds to block staffing mandates for nursing homes
The states say the new staffing requirements pose "an existential threat to the nursing home industry" and will force nursing homes to go out of business.
Management
Survey: Americans think cities can't arrest their way out of the homelessness crisis
Supportive services and more government action is needed to reduce and prevent homelessness, according to a recent public opinion poll.
