Here is a state project that is quite interesting.
Michael Roark
American Association of Museums, Government and Public Affairs
Phone 202 289-9125 in Washington, DC
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 1994 18:44:12 -0500
From: [log in to unmask]
To: Multiple recipients of list <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Access Minnesota Update #2 - 3/17/94
Access Minnesota Update #2 - March 17, 1994 *
******************************************* *
Prepared by Steven Clift ***
Information Policy Office * * ***** * *
Minnesota Department of Administration ***
*
***** SUMMARY ***** *
1. Governor recommends $550,000 for electronic access planning and
demonstration projects. Full text of the supplemenatal budget
recommendation is included.
2. "Access Minnesota" findings presented to legislative committees.
Legislation dealing with access issues likely this session.
(The title "Minnesota Public Information Network" has been dropped.)
3. Electronic mail broadcast list created to distribute future updates
from the Information Policy Office on electronic access issues.
Text of H2949, the first bill on electronic access submitted this
session to be released in the near future on MN-GOVT.
1. ***** GOVERNOR ARNE CARLSON'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATION *****
1994 GOVERNOR'S SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET RECOMMENDATION
AGENCY: Department of Administration
PROGRAM(S): Information Policy Office
__________________________________________________________________
Current Biennium Next Biennium
FY1994 FY1995 FY1996 FY1997
Expenditures: ($000s)
General Fund
- State Operations $550 $-0- $-0-
- Grants - Federal $250
Statutory Change? Yes ____ No _XX_
If yes, statute(s) affected: M.S.
__________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
The Governor concurs with the Information Policy Offices' (IPO)
recommendations of $550,000 for F.Y. 1995 to develop a state-wide
comprehensive, coordinated electronic access system to government
information and services. Funding will support coordination of government
applications and demonstration projects through the Department of
Administration.
RATIONALE:
Currently, state agencies, local government, private citizens and businesses
do not have timely, inexpensive access to public government information
and may not even be aware of what information is available or where to
get it. The demand for government services is outstripping the public
resources available to provide them. Minnesota must develop more
effective and efficient ways to deliver public services.
A comprehensive, coordinated electronic access system will improve public
access to government information and the delivery of government services
through the creation of an open, organized and easy to use electronic
communication environment that uses multiple information technologies.
These technologies include home and business computers, public access
terminals in libraries, touch-screen kiosks, fax-based systems and access
through many software applications including those that are Internet-based.
Examples of uses might include: searches for job openings, license
applications or renewals, voter registration, or ordering a birth certificate.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will soon be announcing a new federal
matching grant program to encourage the use of advanced
telecommunication technology by state and local government. The new
program will be administered by the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA).
Federal matching funds would help us meet our goal of providing more
government information and services electronically. Based on Minnesota's
current efforts in building a statewide government information network
through MNet (STARS) and the recent work of our inter-agency task force
on electronic access to public information, Minnesota should be in a strong
position to compete for federal matching funds.
PROGRAM IMPACT:
The purpose of the electronic access activity is to make government more
open, efficient, effective and responsive to citizens and businesses through
the application and use of a wide array of information technologies. It will
help build and organize an electronic communications environment that
will allow interaction with all levels of government. While service delivery
will be centrally coordinated to leverage resources and eliminate
redundancy and confusion, agencies will develop the applications as part of
their ongoing operations.
This initiative will change the way information is collected and stored, and
the way information and services are provided. Standards, policies and
procedures will need to be established to deal with concerns such as sale of
government information, security, privacy, data ownership, etc. and provide
for a common interface.
LONG TERM IMPACT:
* Improve public access to electronic government
information and the delivery of services to the public
through the use of information technology.
* Develop a common access point to government
information and services that can be accessed through
multiple technologies and applications. This will include
the use of the computers, public-access terminals and
kiosks, through the Internet, dial-up connections, and
through future high-speed information networks that will
provide service to homes and businesses.
* Help organize a user-friendly electronic communications
environment that will allow citizens and businesses to interact more
effectively and efficiently with all levels of government.
* Lead state-wide planning project and demonstration projects from
all levels of government.
* Provide outreach, training and educational programs for
government and the public.
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Distributed electronically by the Information Policy Office on 3/17/1994.
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2. ***** ACCESS MINNESOTA - LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATIONS *****
A presentation on the work of the Electronic Access to Public Information
Ad-hoc Task Force was given to the Minnesota House of Representatives,
State Government Finance Division of the Government Operations and Gaming
Committee and the State Government Division of the Senate Finance
Committee.
There will be at least one bill introduced this session that will affect
the issue of electronic access and the electronic access budget
recommendation.
For information on the legislative process, who your legislators are, or
for other questions, you should contact the following offices:
House Information - (612)296-2146
Secretary of the Senate - (612)296-0504
Below is the text of a one-page handout given to the committees:
ACCESS MINNESOTA
Electronic Access to Government Information and Services
Purpose:
To improve the public's access to government information and democratic
processes and to help government become more efficient, effective, and
responsive in providing public services through the use of a wide
array of information technologies.
Coordination and Demonstration Projects:
Minnesota needs to develop a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated
electronic access system to government information and services. Many
state agencies, constitutional offices, the legislature, local
governments, libraries, educational institutions and other public
organizations are exploring the use of technology to improve the
delivery of their services. These efforts will help bring them together
to participate in the creation of an open, organized, and easy to use
electronic communication environment for citizen and business interaction
with all levels of government.
Demonstration projects will be the first phase of implementation and will
help the state gain needed experience in this area. Demonstration projects
will also be complemented by a process to inform and involve all levels
of government, non-profit organizations, the citizens, and the private
sector. As the electronic access systems develop, a distributed mix of
computer-based on-line information resources, a network of kiosks in
convenient locations, and a system of fax-based and interactive telephone
response services may be utilized. Examples of potential applications and
technology include searching for job openings, renewing a license, or
registering to vote through a kiosk, getting background information on a
legislative proposal or searching a directory for a government expert
through a computer-based on-line service, or receiving notice for a
government meeting through fax or electronic mail.
Funding:
The Governor has recommended $550,000 for F.Y. 1995 to support the
planning and coordination of applications and demonstration projects
through the Department of Administration. Federal matching grants
are available from the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA).
Technology:
The electronic public access system will use a mix of technologies that
are designed to serve citizen needs and demands. The state must make
strategic public investments in information technology and develop
public-private partnerships; embrace evolving advancements in
interoperable computer information networks like the Internet, the use
of touch-screen kiosks for government services and licenses; and keep
a watchful eye of future applications for the emerging "information
superhighway." We must also ensure broad public access through the
better use of telephone and fax-based services and through public
access terminals in libraries, schools, and other public places.
3. ***** ELECTRONIC MAIL LIST CREATED FOR FUTURE UPDATES *****
The Information Policy Office has established an experimental
electronic mail broadcast list to help people follow efforts in the
area of electronic access. This list will release future
"Access Minnesota Updates" and other background documents. This
list will be used to distribute general information and will
be fairly low volume. (Because this is an experimental service
and due to current time resource constraints, I hope that those
interested in following the access issues closely during the
legislative session understand that there are no guarantees around
the timeliness nor coverage of these releases. - Steven Clift)
-- SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION --
Send an e-mail message to:
[log in to unmask]
(leave the subject line blank)
In the text portion write:
Subscribe MN-GOVT Your Name
Example: Subscribe MN-GOVT Lonnie Johnson
You will then receive the following message:
Welcome to MN-GOVT. This is an experimental service of the Information
Policy Office, Department of Administration which is a part of state
government in Minnesota. It is a product of the electronic access to
government information and services initiative.
This electronic mail distribution list will broadcast updates on efforts
in the public electronic access area and experiment with other government
information announcements.
For more information about this service or efforts in the area of
electronic access, please contact:
Steven Clift E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Information Policy Office Telephone: (612)297-5561
Minnesota Department of Administration Fax: (612)296-5800
320 Centennial Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
NOTE: Future updates will no longer be directly posted to most lists
unless requested by the list owner or a significant number of
subscribers to a certain list. Cross-posting and redistribution is
encouraged, but the only way to guarantee that you will receive all
the updates in by subscribing to MN-GOVT. This will help us avoid
cluttering the mailboxes of those who are not interested and help us
gauge the interest in Minnesota's electronic access efforts.
END - Access Minnesota Update - March 16, 1994
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