| MOST POPULAR Green Light for Drones An important milestone has come to pass for drone use in government – one that could lead to increased use of the technology by public safety agencies. As reported by GT’s Jed Pressgrove this week, the FAA released a waiver guide for first responder agencies that outlines the parameters within which drones can be flown beyond their operator’s visual line of sight. The exceptions, while understandably few, could help minimize risk to personnel and add to situational awareness during emergencies. ISO: Election Security Funding Whatever your feelings on the security of mail-in voting, local elections officials carry the bulk of responsibility when it comes to the integrity of the vote. Lawmakers in Congress, though, are trying to get them some help. A bipartisan bill introduced earlier this month proposes a federal funding stream that local officials could tap into to help protect election systems. Can Tech Help Sniff Out Bias? The issue of racial injustice in law enforcement has gotten a lot of attention in recent months, causing those in the gov tech community to ask whether any tech tools could help. The idea behind one system from a company in Florida is to amass certain kinds of data on officer performance paired with jurisdictional data to help supervisors look for early intervention opportunities. One (Contact Tracing) Approach Does Not Fit All What’s good for Boston might not be good for Baton Rouge. When it comes to tracking the spread of COVID-19, there have been many attempts to create contact tracing programs that citizens will want to participate in. But a recent report points out that demographic variables weigh heavily on the likelihood of citizens to opt in. One group in particular, senior citizens, is less likely to engage with a technological solution, necessitating more nuanced engagement approaches. | 
