Policy

A bill that would lift restrictions on nuclear power plant construction in West Virginia moved closer to passage in the state Senate Wednesday afternoon, after a Senate committee advanced it with little discussion.

A bill touted to help companies that are developing self-driving cars test the vehicles in Pennsylvania without an emergency driver available could be facing serious opposition, in part from the city.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed wants to crack down on crime across the city by increasing the number of situations in which police may access live-feed cameras. Privacy advocates have decried the idea.

Police departments across the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland) in Washington have inked deals with Axon to get body cameras. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of body cams.

Federal lawmakers think a bill would annihilate a duopoly that Apple and Google hold on the mobile market. The two companies, however, have argued the bill will make it harder to protect users' privacy and security.

Morenci Area Schools will use a state energy bond, district general funds and federal ESSER funds to purchase lighting controls, LED lighting upgrades, new building automation controls and an energy management system.

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.

Many colleges and universities are holding classes online in response to COVID-19 but charging full price for a lesser product, including transportation and campus fees even though students aren’t on campus.

The proposed constitutional amendment would add privacy as a natural right and says law enforcement must secure a warrant before searching or seizing an individual’s electronic data or electronic communications.

Yesterday, federal officials discussed which cybersecurity policies should take highest priority. Two suggestions involved mandatory incident reporting and addressing the semiconductor chip shortage.

Given the toll of remote learning on students, from mental health and behavioral issues to learning loss, Atlanta schools are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to staying open despite record COVID cases this month.

The Washington State Board of Health is facing protests after conspiracy theorists started a rumor that the board would order people to be put into quarantine facilities if they refused a COVID-19 vaccine.

Plus, the public comment period is now open for the broadband programs within the new infrastructure bill; Maine has named the first leader for its broadband authority; and a New Jersey city works on digital inclusion.

Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, announced Wednesday she will introduce legislation to leverage an expected $200 million in federal dollars to expand Internet services in underserved Oregon communities.

The latest talks between the federal government and the city of Portland, Ore., on police reform have led to a couple of major agreements, including a body camera measure that will involve Justice Department approval.

The recently proposed legislation would require an update of the state’s websites, implementation of modern customer service experiences and a transition from paper processes to more intuitive digital formats.

Birmingham City Schools is spending $29.5 million on extra instruction, after-school care and intersession periods for schools like Brown Elementary, where reading proficiency is about 13 percent.

The state’s 2022 legislative session will seek to address the growing shortage of teachers across all subjects, falling student proficiency scores and grades after 22 months of hybrid classes, school choice and more.