State and Local

The Commission should thoughtfully consider AT&T’s petition because it could catalyze the retirement of outdated copper networks, accelerate network modernization, and advance the transition to a modern, all-IP communications ecosystem.

Technology exists, and policy instruments are available, to develop a new, state-led model of water governance for data centers and other large industrial users. What’s missing is institutional coordination, regulatory specificity, and a set of standardized mechanisms and metrics.

Rather than creating a new funding program for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, Congress should incorporate its funding into the reauthorization of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. This approach would preserve critical cybersecurity services while improving coordination between the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Center for Internet Security.

Alex Ambrose speaks about wearable AI in emergency response on the panel "Governance, Oversight, and Accountability in Technology Enabled Emergency Management," hosted by the NALEO Institute on Technology and AI in Emergency Management.

Cities that are successfully scaling AI are investing in workforce upskilling alongside governance and technology deployment. Case studies from Washington, DC, San Jose, Seattle, and Cleveland show that employee training and AI literacy are critical to turning pilot projects into lasting improvements in public service delivery.

Five states—Utah, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, and North Carolina—are showing how centralized AI sandboxes, oversight frameworks, and clear evaluation metrics can help governments move beyond isolated pilot programs and scale AI tools to deliver measurable improvements in public services.

Critics say the SECURE Data Act is a unified Republican effort. Yet its core provisions mirror privacy protections passed by Democratic and Republican majorities in 21 states. So, while it would preempt state laws, it also draws heavily from those laws, reflecting a bipartisan, multistate consensus on how to protect consumers while enabling innovation.

Philadelphia’s proposed $1 rideshare tax attempts to address school funding shortfalls. The city should reject narrowly targeted taxes on app-based services and instead pursue broader, more neutral revenue mechanisms such as property or income taxes.

A New Mexico ruling against Meta highlights how the growing patchwork of state digital regulations could fragment the U.S. internet by forcing companies to restrict or withdraw online services in certain states, underscoring the need for Congress to establish a unified federal digital policy framework.

Cyberattacks are rising across state and local governments, and the blog recommends that all states adopt coordinated strategies, clear standards, and stronger cyber capabilities to close security gaps and improve resilience.