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Introduction Acknowledgements Executive Summary Scope and Purpose of Report Background Methodology Legislator Information Explanations of Legislative Process Legislative Tracking and Monitoring Legislative Administration State Resources Statements Addressing User Expectations Site Design Site Navigation Conclusion Overview of State Legislatures State Legislative Resource Websites Federal Territories Practices of Note

Plugged In, Tuning Up (March 2001) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Internet is increasingly considered a central element of revitalized civic participation in the United States. One aspect of this powerful force is "e-government," the idea that effective information exchanges and efficient service transactions between citizens and government can occur online. The potential for e-government raises a set of expectations of citizens, and a host of considerations for government itself— including accessibility, security, privacy, and relevancy of content. In order for e-government to become a reality, government must be receptive and capable of providing access to content and services to the public without compromising its operational effectiveness. As more citizens begin to use the Internet to participate in policy matters, there will be greater demands for a wider range of legislative content and services online, as well as increased access into the workings of the legislatures themselves. Much of the discussion and research on e-government, to date, has been focused at the federal level, specifically with respect to case studies of agency implementation and coordination. To the degree that the implications of e-government on legislative bodies have been explored, much of the literature focuses on the U.S. Congress, to the exclusion of state legislatures. To address this gap, OMB Watch has undertaken an assessment of websites for each state's legislative resource to set forth a baseline set of measures and considerations. This will provide a starting point for citizens, public interest groups, and legislatures to evaluate and develop online resources that help meet the widest range of needs with the fewest barriers possible. Our assessment covers whether a site provides information on: Legislators and How to Reach Them Explanations of Legislative Process Legislative Tracking and Monitoring Administrative Entities within the Legislature State Resources Statements Addressing User Expectations Site Design Site Navigation This collective snapshot reveals a number of useful findings that help to clearly define how e-government is being implemented with respect to state legislatures. For example: 92% of state legislative websites provide contact information for legislators, but only 12% provide the means to address concerns directly to legislators while online 76% explain the legislative process, and 65% provide access to the rules for legislative bodies, but only 49% present definitions of legislative terminology More than half of the states provide no information on legislative calendars, committee schedules, floor schedules, or a legislative session report Most states only provide information on the majority and minority leadership, but not the oversight, ethics, or legislative research bodies While 84% of the legislatures provide access to their constitutions online, only about a quarter provide links to the other branches of state government 51% of state legislatures use cookies on their sites, but nearly all of them— 96%— do not have a statement about their use. Though 75% of legislatures have some method of collecting information or allowing users to interact with the legislative body, nearly all states lack a clearly defined privacy policy on their site. No state provided clearly identifiable compliance with commonly accepted web design principles for accessibility to those with disabilities More than half of the legislative websites lacked a clear set of tools to help users navigate the volume of content available Each set of findings raises a set of considerations that need to be addressed. Content and services are difficult for constituents to navigate, inaccessible site design presents a "digital divide" for a potentially large base of online citizens, and inconsistent levels of free versus for-fee access to legislative resources raises questions about public access to information. To assist state legislatures in their capacity building for participation, a number of recommendations for addressing user concerns are presented for review. To help expand the range of possibilities, a set of promising technology practices currently employed by state legislatures is also included. Democracy itself depends upon citizen and public interest participation. The prospects of e-government to deliver enhanced democracy through technology requires no less. As state legislative websites continue to become even more responsive to the needs of their citizenry, the mandate is clear: be visible, accessible, usable, and useful.