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February 15, 2008
Room 302
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Senator Cale Case, Co-chairman
Representative Rosie Berger, Co-chairman
Senator Ken Decaria
Senator Bill Landen
Representative Lori Millin
Representative Sue Wallis
None
Dan J. Pauli, Director
Jim Griffin, Information Technology Section Manager
Patty Wells, Information Technology Specialist
Wendy Madsen, Legislative Information Officer
Anthony Sara, Associate Legislative Information Officer
The Select Committee on Legislative Technology met during the 2008 Budget Session on February 15, 2008 in Cheyenne to discuss the Committee’s role in providing guidance to LSO on legislative promotional activities and current issues and future plans for using technology within the branch.
Co-Chairman Case called the meeting to order at 7:00 a.m. The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.
Senator Case and Representative Berger explained that the Management Council has tasked the Select Committee on Legislative Technology with the responsibility to provide input to LSO public affairs staff regarding staff public relations efforts. Ms. Wendy Madsen explained that the LSO requested that Management Council appoint a committee to assist the LSO in promoting the Wyoming Legislature.
She noted that generic promotion of the institution and providing information to the public about how to participate in the legislative process are non-partisan activities. However, involvement in promotion by specific legislators or about specific legislative achievements could become a politically sensitive issue, so the LSO would like guidance from the Committee to ensure that the branch has a plan for promotion and to ensure that promotional activities remain non-partisan. She explained that the staff have several ideas about how to better inform the public, but that these activities need to be well planned to ensure that all products are of high quality to portray the legislative branch in the most professional manner.
The Committee discussed its role and potential products in working with LSO staff to provide information to the public and to promote the legislative institution. The Committee recommended staff distribute several news releases during the session about key legislative activities and services, including information available on the Web site, crossover information, and when the budget would be considered by the body. For longer-term activities, the Committee suggested preparing a weekly schedule of legislative activities during next year’s session, including a summary of legislation considered each week.
Mr. Jim Griffin addressed the Committee regarding the current status of information technology in the legislative branch and problems with existing systems. He explained the different databases that exist and the problems with a static, centralized Web site. He noted that staff would like to integrate systems and to create a dynamic, database-driven Web site that would be the main repository for information for legislators, staff and the public. He explained that staff will need to hire consultants to redesign the Web site and to integrate the Legislature’s document management system into the Web site. He noted that consultants may also be needed to develop the underlying systems and databases for the Web site.
Ms. Madsen explained that the branch has many “information silos,” systems that were developed for specific purposes but were never integrated. She noted that this creates duplication in information and duplication of effort on the part of staff and increases chances for error in providing information. Mr. Griffin and Ms. Madsen recommended that staff and the Committee embark on the creation of a master information plan to address these silos and to develop a strategy to prioritize needs and to integrate existing systems. Staff noted that at the Committee’s first interim meeting they would like to demonstrate all of the branch’s systems to the Committee, so that the Committee can better understand the existing systems and needed changes. The Committee discussed goals and options for using technology in the branch to effectively provide information.
Mr. Dan Pauli explained that a priority for the LSO during the 2008 interim will be to fill vacant positions in the Information Technology Section and to use consultants to achieve many of the goals that staff and the Committee have identified to better use technology. He explained that the LSO was appropriated $50,000 for consulting work, but it is anticipated that most of that appropriation would be needed for a Web site redesign, based on costs that other organizations have spent to redesign their sites.
The Committee discussed the need for additional funding for consultants to assist with information technology projects during the upcoming biennium. Mr. Bob VonWolffradt, Chief Information Officer at the Department of Administration and Information, noted that consultants with project management expertise could help the Legislature in its efforts to redesign the ways it delivers information. He recommended that the Committee consider a $100,000 appropriation for such services. The Committee agreed to offer amendments in the House and Senate during the session to include an additional $100,000 in consulting services within the LSO’s budget to provide project management expertise to improve the legislative branch’s information technology systems.
Members of the public addressed the Committee regarding electronic voting and encouraged the Committee to study the topic during the interim. Mr. Pauli explained that the Select Committee on Legislative Facilities studied this issue a few years ago and at that time the LSO worked with the National Conference of State Legislatures to gather information about what other states are doing in this arena. He noted that the Facilities Committee provided its research to the Management Council, because the electronic voting issue involves several different committees, including the Process Committee and the Technology Committee.
There being no further business, Co-Chairman Case adjourned the meeting at 8:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Senator Cale Case, Co-Chairman