SLED IT:

• The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan seals the deal for US tech market growth in 2021

Cybersecurity:

• FBI warns of rise in PYSA ransomware operators targeting US, UK schools

Cloud Computing / Data Center Consolidation / Virtualization:

• Contact tracing: The technology worked, but the implementation failed

Health & Human Services:

• (Florida) Gov. DeSantis plans to send COVID relief money to 1st responders
• City of Memphis Announces Free Behavioral Health Services for All City Employees
• The American Rescue Plan Act and Healthcare Providers - A First Look

K-12 Education:

• (New Mexico) Roundhouse Roundup: Budget, Early Childhood Education
• Lawmakers introduce bills to expand educational options in Texas, ensure parental rights
• (Texas) State Board of Education Approves Additional Testing Flexibility for Schools This Spring

Transportation / Public Utilities:

• (New Jersey) DEP Awards $16 Million to Enhance Local Government Recycling Programs
• U.S. Department of Transportation details the American Rescue Plan’s benefits for transportation

Justice / Public Safety / Homeland Security:

• Radar speeding enforcement for local police gets blessing of Pa. House transportation committee

Agency / Vendor News:

• (Massachusetts) State and local government can fill the gaps left by federal inaction
• (Georgia) Congress wants to turn states into subsidiaries of a federal government conglomerate

Sequestration / Budget / Stimulus:

• Follow the money: What counties can/can't do with federal relief dollars
• Local Govs Will Spend Stimulus Relief in Different Ways

Transparency / Performance / Management:

• (Wisconsin) Keep the minutes of local government meetings in newspapers
• (Georgia) As local government meetings moved online, public participation jumped
• Now is time to join best government transparency states

Coronavirus:

• Fight over pandemic powers leads Florida GOP effort to roll back local authority
• (Connecticut) House unanimously adopts measure to ensure lawmakers have a say in spending COVID relief funds

Waste, Fraud and Abuse:

• Research Looks at Gender, Politics and Sustainability in Local Government

Legislation:

• Florida lawmakers want to let local government regulate smoking in parks but not mask wearing
• Alabama is dead last for open records. The Legislature could fix that

Natural Resources & Environment:

• (Wisconsin) Legislature takes action to protect conversion therapy, block PFAS rule