diff --git a/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml b/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
index 88d9b926c..3d2f82824 100644
--- a/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
+++ b/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 docker:
   image: gcr.io/cloud-devrel-public-resources/owlbot-java:latest
-  digest: sha256:5b8c790f57cca57e6b37ba25f79291265c218cea3e6ba9714b001910ab3f1419
+  digest: sha256:a4d7b2cfc6a9d6b378a6b2458740eae15fcab28854bd23dad3a15102d2e47c87
diff --git a/.github/blunderbuss.yml b/.github/blunderbuss.yml
index ff884f273..4ad6c6606 100644
--- a/.github/blunderbuss.yml
+++ b/.github/blunderbuss.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Configuration for the Blunderbuss GitHub app. For more info see
 # https://github.com/googleapis/repo-automation-bots/tree/main/packages/blunderbuss
 assign_issues:
-  - thiagotnunes
+  - ansh0l
 assign_prs_by:
 - labels:
   - samples
diff --git a/.github/sync-repo-settings.yaml b/.github/sync-repo-settings.yaml
index c6354959c..f9649fb05 100644
--- a/.github/sync-repo-settings.yaml
+++ b/.github/sync-repo-settings.yaml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ branchProtectionRules:
     - "units (11)"
     - "Kokoro - Test: Integration"
     - "cla/google"
+    - OwlBot Post Processor
 
 # Identifies the protection rule pattern. Name of the branch to be protected.
 # Defaults to `main`
diff --git a/.kokoro/build.sh b/.kokoro/build.sh
index 23c2c4938..583b1f994 100755
--- a/.kokoro/build.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/build.sh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ integration)
     ;;
 graalvm)
     # Run Unit and Integration Tests with Native Image
-    mvn test -Pnative -Penable-integration-tests
+    mvn -ntp -Pnative -Penable-integration-tests test
     RETURN_CODE=$?
     ;;
 samples)
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 399eeca8c..3d57b6368 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # Changelog
 
+### [2.5.6](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/compare/v2.5.5...v2.5.6) (2021-12-17)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **java:** add -ntp flag to native image testing command ([#1299](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/issues/1299)) ([#688](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/issues/688)) ([4438aca](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/commit/4438aca73b9c8b33fa1edd23f823d87a093a6d59))
+
+
+### Dependencies
+
+* update OpenCensus API to 0.30.0 ([#694](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/issues/694)) ([345f136](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/commit/345f1366a7dd96f3b28afd353c5c23ebeff60c6b))
+
 ### [2.5.5](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc/compare/v2.5.4...v2.5.5) (2021-12-03)
 
 
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 471304bef..194099e3e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <artifactId>google-cloud-spanner-jdbc</artifactId>
-  <version>2.5.5</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-spanner-jdbc:current} -->
+  <version>2.5.6</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-spanner-jdbc:current} -->
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
   <name>Google Cloud Spanner JDBC</name>
   <url>https://github.com/googleapis/java-spanner-jdbc</url>
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@
     <findbugs.version>3.0.2</findbugs.version>
     <threeten.version>1.4.4</threeten.version>
     <truth.version>1.1.3</truth.version>
-    <mockito.version>4.1.0</mockito.version>
+    <mockito.version>4.2.0</mockito.version>
     <hamcrest.version>2.2</hamcrest.version>
+    <opencensus.version>0.30.0</opencensus.version>
   </properties>
 
   <dependencyManagement>
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
         <artifactId>google-cloud-spanner-bom</artifactId>
-        <version>6.16.0</version>
+        <version>6.17.3</version>
         <type>pom</type>
         <scope>import</scope>
       </dependency>
@@ -73,6 +74,16 @@
         <type>pom</type>
         <scope>import</scope>
       </dependency>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>io.opencensus</groupId>
+        <artifactId>opencensus-api</artifactId>
+        <version>${opencensus.version}</version>
+      </dependency>
+      <dependency>
+        <groupId>io.opencensus</groupId>
+        <artifactId>opencensus-contrib-grpc-util</artifactId>
+        <version>${opencensus.version}</version>
+      </dependency>
     </dependencies>
   </dependencyManagement>
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
index 91c5a9662..ab7953e5a 100644
--- a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.samples</groupId>
     <artifactId>shared-configuration</artifactId>
-    <version>1.0.23</version>
+    <version>1.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <properties>
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-spanner-jdbc</artifactId>
-      <version>2.5.4</version>
+      <version>2.5.5</version>
     </dependency>
     <!-- [END spanner-jdbc_install_without_bom] -->
 
diff --git a/samples/pom.xml b/samples/pom.xml
index b50770aae..87a742b88 100644
--- a/samples/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/pom.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.samples</groupId>
     <artifactId>shared-configuration</artifactId>
-    <version>1.0.23</version>
+    <version>1.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <properties>
diff --git a/samples/snapshot/pom.xml b/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
index cc6d576c0..1713bc2f8 100644
--- a/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.samples</groupId>
     <artifactId>shared-configuration</artifactId>
-    <version>1.0.23</version>
+    <version>1.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <properties>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-spanner-jdbc</artifactId>
-      <version>2.5.5</version>
+      <version>2.5.6</version>
     </dependency>
     <!-- {x-version-update-end} -->
 
diff --git a/samples/snippets/pom.xml b/samples/snippets/pom.xml
index de2b4cbd4..5e0eab46f 100644
--- a/samples/snippets/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snippets/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.samples</groupId>
     <artifactId>shared-configuration</artifactId>
-    <version>1.0.23</version>
+    <version>1.2.0</version>
   </parent>
 
   <properties>
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
         <artifactId>libraries-bom</artifactId>
-        <version>24.0.0</version>
+        <version>24.1.0</version>
         <type>pom</type>
         <scope>import</scope>
       </dependency>
diff --git a/versions.txt b/versions.txt
index 93de39f62..b7e01f810 100644
--- a/versions.txt
+++ b/versions.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # Format:
 # module:released-version:current-version
 
-google-cloud-spanner-jdbc:2.5.5:2.5.5
+google-cloud-spanner-jdbc:2.5.6:2.5.6