Finance

GILLIG and RR.AI have announced a partnership to develop driver assistance and autonomous operations features in next-gen electric buses, hoping to both expand and develop tomorrow’s transit vehicle market.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker filed a $5 billion bill that would commit $185 million to state IT for cybersecurity and system upgrades. The bill would also address areas like public safety infrastructure.

The Department of General Services, which manages about 14.4 million square feet of leased office space for the state, has relinquished or is in the process of relinquishing about 767,000 square feet of space.

The fresh capital signals ongoing optimism for the local government tech space. ClearGov and competitors are trying to win more budget management work as federal infrastructure dollars get ready to flow.

The emergency radio system in Delaware County, Pa., has been hijacked multiple times in recent years. The system, which was put in place during the 1970s, is overdue for a $50 million upgrade.

The acting police chief of the Bridgeport Police Department said she attributes a recent reduction in shootings to ShotSpotter. She argues that the city needs more of the sensor technology.

Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster has proposed using American Rescue Plan Act money, $3 million specifically, to help close the digital divide in the county. The county has a total of $11.74 million in ARPA funds.

Much attention has been given to the billions the bill will put toward bridges, cybersecurity and more. But behind the big-ticket items are many small projects. Here are some that will impact state and local government.

The buyout of the 17-year-old company ASR Analytics will also give GCOM, which offers state and local governments a wide variety of software and solutions, a foothold with federal government agencies.

Through a survey, the city of Eagle, Idaho, is now gauging citizen interest in a community-owned fiber system that would promote competition between multiple broadband providers through an open access network.

Thousands of Ohio residents wait to see if they must pay back unemployment benefits that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services mistakenly gave them. So far, the state has waived $72.1 million in overpayments.

Federal and state officials are embarking on an ambitious partnership to bring broadband Internet access to all corners of the state, drawing from part of a $65 billion fund passed by Congress this fall.

Much of the growth in gambling revenue over the last two years has been through new online forms of gaming, including such casino games as slots and blackjack, and sports betting. Many casinos, meanwhile, are struggling.

The federal government will allot $133 million to support data-driven traffic safety programs in all 50 states. Another $123 million will go to programs that include traffic safety information systems.

Kansas wants to be a top 10 broadband leader in the U.S. by 2030. The state will soon release its first broadband strategy and leverage funding from the federal infrastructure bill and its own grant program.

As prices for fiber-optic cable heat up, Vermont isn’t waiting around for federal funds. The state is also preparing a broadband technician training program that pays students, so long as they share some income if hired.

As local and state governments gear up for federal stimulus dollars, the firm is releasing software that allows members of the public to rank budgeting choices against each other to show where their priorities lie.

Nobles County commissioners voted last week to authorize spending up to $2 million on a $21 million broadband expansion project if the county is awarded a significant USDA ReConnect grant.