|
|
Plugged In, Tuning Up (March 2001)
STATE RESOURCES
Background
Because state governments address a wide range of citizen needs and interests, the degree
to which the branches connect to one another provides a useful window to view potential gaps in
and nexuses of activity. This speaks, in part, to the interoperability of e-government at the state level.
Items Examined
State online legislative resources were assessed in terms of their links from the main page to:
- State constitution, code of laws, and regulations
- Executive branch, including governor's office and agencies
- State courts system
- Local government links and resources
- State budget information and resources
Summary Findings by State
| State |
State Law |
Executive Links |
Judicial Links |
Local Government |
Budget Info |
| Alabama |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Alaska |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Arizona |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Arkansas |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| California |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Colorado |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Connecticut |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Delaware |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Florida |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Georgia |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Hawaii |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Idaho |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Illinois |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Indiana |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Iowa |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Kansas |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Kentucky |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Louisiana |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Maine |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Maryland |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Massachusetts |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Michigan |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Minnesota |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Mississippi |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Missouri |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Montana |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Nebraska |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Nevada |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| New Hampshire |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| New Jersey |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| New Mexico |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| New York (Senate) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| New York (Assembly) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| North Carolina |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| North Dakota |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Ohio |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Oklahoma |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Oregon |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Pennsylvania |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Rhode Island |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| South Carolina |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| South Dakota |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Tennessee |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Texas |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Utah |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Vermont |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Virginia |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Washington |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| West Virginia |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Wisconsin |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Wyoming |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
- The vast majority, 84%, of the state legislative websites provided links to the basic laws
of the state, including the constitution and code of laws.
- Only 27% provided links to the executive branch
- Only 24% provided links to the judicial branch.
- Only 20% provide links to local government resources
- Only 29% provided information or a link to state's budget.
Considerations
Only four states-- Alaska, Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina--provided links or information
for all of the categories assessed. Meanwhile, thirty-five out of the sites provide links to the
state constitution, but not to any other branch of the state government. Alaska, Arkansas,
Arizona, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, and South Carolina were the only state
legislative websites that provided links to the executive, judicial, and local government resources. None of
the states that linked to the other branches or the constitution provided statements alerting the user
that an external link was about to be utilized.
Recommendations
- State online legislative resources should be more than resources for and about the
legislative branch. They should also serve as resources for and about the states themselves. Because of
the traffic and popularity of information on bills, it is important to provide opportunities for citizens
to connect to the institutions which are also involved in the decision, policies, and practices that
affect them, as well as the key information resources that guide their decisions.
- Because of the connected nature of the Web, users may need different types of information
by following non-linear paths. In order to form a continuum of service that help meet the
diverse information needs of the public, every attempt should be made to provide consistent links
across and between local and state government institutions to facilitate citizen connectivity to
government with as few barriers as possible.
|