The 50 States
Lawmakers and their staffs rely on office computers for tasks such as communicating with constituents and drawing up draft legislation. And central staff members find systems indispensable for
For governments east of the Mississippi, call 301-650-2145 or e-mail .For those west, call 301-650-2238 or e-mail .By Claire E. House andTrudy WalshGCN StaffLawmakers and their staffs rely on office computers for tasks such as communicating with constituents and drawing up draft legislation. And central staff members find systems indispensable for generating, amending and tracking legislation.But technology's role in the democratic process is still being refined. This month's 50 States supplements the Page 1 story and other features that examine legislators' use of technology on the floor.The 50 States chart details where legislatures stand in several systems categories.While most states have some sort of office access to legislative systems, 15 have no legislature-sanctioned notebook action on the floor.Interviews indicate that most states supporting notebooks do not mandate their use, so paper copies of legislation are still common. Rules about Internet and e-mail access during sessions also vary.States are gangbusters on citizen access to legislation, however. Most have a searchable Web site for legislative text.Digital tools will likely work their way onto legislature floors as they infiltrate American culture. At the very least, they will cut paper costs. They're already bringing citizens closer to the legislative process.Perhaps technology ultimately will transform state governance as it has revolutionized communications and the economy. We shall see. XXXSPLITXXX-XXXSPLITXXX-
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| State | Notebook PCs for legislators | Chambers wired or wireless | Committee rooms wired or wireless | How legislators get bill info in chambers, if applicable, or in offices | Searchable legislative database available over Web | Activities televised through Web | Archived video broadcasts on Web | Some PDA synchronization |
| Alabama |  |  | Neither | Intranet, data download from client-server network | Yes | No, but considering | No | No |
| Alaska | No | Staff only | Neither | Web | Yes | No | No | No |
| Arizona | | | | Intranet | Yes |  | No |  |
| Arkansas | | | | Web | Yes | No | No | No |
| California | | | | Web, client-server network | Yes | | No | |
| Colorado | | | Some wired, some wireless | Intranet | Yes | No | No | |
| Connecticut | | | By summer | Intranet | Yes | Public TV | No | Standardized on Palms; planning legislation download via HTML |
| State | Notebook PCs for legislators | Chambers wired or wireless | Committee rooms wired or wireless | How legislators get bill info in chambers, if applicable, or in offices | Searchable legislative database available over Web | Activities televised through Web | Archived video broadcasts on Web | Some PDA synchronization |
| Delaware | | | Limited users per room | Web, client-server network | Yes | No | No | No |
| District of Columbia | No, but considering after upcoming move | Neither | Not applicable | Client-server network | No, but considering | No | No | No |
| Florida | | | More than half; more to come | Client-server network; plans for intranet | Yes | In affiliation with public TV station | No |  |
| Georgia |  |  | Some wired | Web, intranet | Yes |  | No; audio only | |
| Hawaii | No | | | Web | Yes | No | No | No |
| Idaho | |  | | Web | Yes | No; audio only | No | |
| Illinois | | | Neither | Intranet, automatic data download from client-server network | Yes | No, but considering | No | No |
| Indiana | | | | Client-server network | Yes | In testing phase | No | No |
| Iowa | | | | Web, mainframe system | Yes | No; audio only | No | |
| Kansas | No | | One connection per room | Web | Yes | No; audio only | No | No |
| Kentucky | No | | For use through loaner portable PCs; telecom room has permanent PC setup | Client-server network | Yes | Public TV-run | Yes, some | No, but considering |
| Louisiana | | | | Web, client-server network, mainframe system | Yes | | Yes; House only | Early stages |
| Maine | No; possible funding for 2001 | | | Web, intranet | Yes | No; audio only via intranet | No | No, but anticipating |
| Maryland | Senate full, House one-third | | | Data download from network of intranet and client-server hybrid | Yes | No | No | Early stages |
| Massachusetts | No | Neither | Neither | Web, mainframe system | Yes, Senate only | No | No | No |
| Michigan | | | Some Senate rooms wired, others being remodeled; no for House, which just moved into new building | Intranet | Yes | Just went live | Undetermined for new setup | Senate only |
| Minnesota | | | Some wired | Web | Yes | Also state agency multicast | No, but considering | Early stages; looking to standardize |
| Mississippi | | | | Data download from client-server network | Yes | No | No | No |
| Missouri | | | | Paper copies | Yes | No; audio only | No; audio only | Limited support |
| Montana | No | No; both wired by October | No; wireless by October | Web | Yes | No | No | No |
| Nebraska | | Unicameral legislature | | Data download from client-server network | No | | No | |
| Nevada | | | | Web | Yes | | No | No; plans to by next session |
| State | Notebook PCs for legislators | Chambers wired or wireless | Committee rooms wired or wireless | How legislators get bill info in chambers, if applicable, or in offices | Searchable legislative database available over Web | Activities televised through Web | Archived video broadcasts on Web | Some PDA synchronization | |||
| New Hampshire | No | No; one PC in House chamber provides Web and network access | No; cyberroom has 10 PCs, reading room has three | Client-server network | Yes | No | No | Not at tech support level | |||
| New Jersey | No | But PCs not allowed | But PCs not allowedNo; cyberroom has 10 PCs, reading room has three | Web, intranet, client-server network | Yes | Beginning implementation, starting with audio | Yes | No | |||
| New Mexico | | But PCs not allowed | But PCs not allowedNo; cyberroom has 10 PCs, reading room has three | Intranet | Yes | No | No | Pilot stage | |||
| New York | No | Neither | Staff only | Client-server network | Yes | No | No | N/A | |||
| North Carolina | | Installing now; legislators have not yet set rules to permit use | Installing now; legislators have not yet set rules to permit use | Intranet, client-server network | Yes | No; audio only | No | Not at tech support level | |||
| North Dakota | | | A few wired | Client-server network | No, but planning for 2001 | No | No | No | |||
| Ohio | | | | Web | Yes | No; internal only but plans to make Web-accessible | No; internal only | No | |||
| Oklahoma | | | Neither | Web, intranet, clinet-server network | Yes | No | No | No | |||
| Oregon | No | | | Web, intranet | Yes | No; audio only | No; audio only | Early stages | |||
| Pennsylvania | | | Neither | Web, intranet, mainframe system | Yes | No, but planning | No | N/A | |||
| Rhode Island | | | Some wired | Web | Yes | No; but considering | No | No | |||
| South Carolina | | | | Intranet, Web | Yes | | No | | |||
| South Dakota | | | | Web | Yes | No; audio only | No; audio only | No | |||
| Tennessee | | | Neither | Client-server network | Yes | No | No | No | |||
| Texas | | | | Web, mainframe system | Yes | | Yes | | |||
| Utah | | | | Web | Yes | No; audio only | No; audio only | | |||
| Vermont | No | Neither | One connection per room | Web; legislators don't have on-site offices but have PCs in several areas | Yes | No | No | No, but considering | |||
| Virginia | | |
| Web; considering download for passed legislation | Yes | No; internal only | No | | |||
| Washington | | | Neither | Web | Yes | | Yes | | |||
| West Virginia | No | House only | Neither | Web, mainframe system | Yes | No | No | No | |||
| Wisconsin | | House only; Senate no | Most wired | Intranet | Yes | No; audio only | No | | |||
| Wyoming | No | House only | Neither | Web | Yes | No | No | No |
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