Hawaii Senate’s Paperless Initiative...Hawaii Senate’s Paperless Initiative Updating the Legislature for the 21st Century. Senator Les Ihara, Jr. Majority Policy Leader I’m Les
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Hawaii Senate’s Paperless Initiative Updating the Legislature Updating the Legislature for the 21st Century. for the 21st Century. Senator Les Ihara, Jr. Senator Les Ihara, Jr. Majority Policy Leader Majority Policy Leader
Updating the Legislature Updating the Legislature for the 21st Century.for the 21st Century.
Senator Les Ihara, Jr.Senator Les Ihara, Jr.Majority Policy LeaderMajority Policy Leader
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I’m Les Ihara, Hawaii state senator. I’ve served 14 years in the Hawaii Senate, and 8 years in the House of Representatives. My represent the communities on the mountain side of Waikiki on the main island of Oahu.
State of Hawaii State of Hawaii –– SenateSenate1.2 million residents on 8 1.2 million residents on 8 islands and in 4 countiesislands and in 4 counties
25 Senators elected to 25 Senators elected to fourfour--year staggered termsyear staggered terms
6060--day sessions day sessions convene annually convene annually 3rd week of January3rd week of January
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[8 not 7 islands]
Senate Leadership InitiativeSenate Leadership InitiativeSenate President Colleen HanabusaSenate President Colleen Hanabusa Announces Sustainability Platform onAnnounces Sustainability Platform on
Opening Day of 2007 SessionOpening Day of 2007 Session
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Our story begins in 2007 with a new Senate President and Majority Leadership that chose sustainability as a key plank in our policy platform, which included efficiency and waste reduction goals. [slide text] + But it was NCSL’s March 2007 State Legislature Magazine "Going Paperless” article -- that inspired our Leadership to begin exploring going paperless.
2007 Interim2007 Interim Paperless Pilot DevelopedPaperless Pilot Developed
Senator David Ige appointed Senator David Ige appointed technology liaisontechnology liaison
Two work groups Two work groups formed to explore formed to explore feasibility of feasibility of paperless processes paperless processes
Senate LeadershipSenate Leadershipapproved paperless pilotapproved paperless pilot
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* He is one of our most technologically advanced members; he’s shown in the photo. * Senator Ige and senate staff identified legislative and administrative processes that could be converted to paperless; the work groups included leadership staff, committee chairs, and staff support offices to ensure all aspects of the legislative process were covered. They met weekly for several months to identify models for paperless processes and investigate technical tools needed for paperless processes. * …approved in September 2007
Hawaii SenateHawaii Senate Paperless Project GoalsPaperless Project Goals
Senators and staff Senators and staff access legislative access legislative documents online documents online
and eliminate and eliminate hardcopieshardcopies
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* Our primary goal was to eliminate all paper documents except originals. * The 48 bill binders shown here was typical for each senate office in one legislative session – and twice this amount for the 2nd session of our biennial legislature. * Distribution of copies was largely eliminated, except for ADA requirements and public without computer access or not computer-literate. Hearing notices and floor session Orders of the Day were still available at the print shop without limitation. * Senators used hyperlinked bill digests and search features to select and review bills, and CDs containing bills were provided on request. Subscriber print shop boxes were eliminated, except a maximum of 20 daily hardcopy requests were allowed.
Hawaii SenateHawaii Senate Paperless Project GoalsPaperless Project Goals
Agendas of floor Agendas of floor sessions and sessions and committees committees hyperlinkedhyperlinked
to bills, committee to bills, committee reports, testimony, reports, testimony,
and statusand status
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* This allowed all senators and the public easy access to legislative documents, including following testimony during hearings and floor sessions. * The most staff-intensive work effort required to accomplish this goal was the scanning of all testimony. * The interactive agenda feature was one of the most highly-praised components of the paperless project, because members and the public could access all relevant documents on bills considered by each committee.
Hawaii SenateHawaii Senate Paperless Project GoalsPaperless Project Goals
Capitol wireless access to Capitol wireless access to legislative documentslegislative documents
Online access to public testimonyOnline access to public testimony
Searchable bill contentsSearchable bill contents
Print shop stops bulk printing of Print shop stops bulk printing of legislative documentslegislative documents
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+ I might also mention that we added an RSS feed feature, which notified subscribers when there was a change in the status of a bill.
2008 Session2008 Session Senate Paperless PilotSenate Paperless Pilot
Two committees conducted Two committees conducted proceedings in paperless proceedings in paperless
format and membersformat and members reviewed legislativereviewed legislative
testimony on laptopstestimony on laptops
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+ The paperless features I’ve already described were implemented during the 2008 session. But, perhaps the most challenging aspect of the project was conducting paperless committee operations. Two chairs of our most important committees volunteered to pilot operations using a paperless format – Health Committee chaired by Senator Ige, and Ways and Means chaired by Senator Baker. + Fortunately, most testimony was received via e-mail, though many were received in hardcopy and by FAX. All testimony was organized by measure and scanned in searchable format, and before the hearing started, testimony was linked onto the electronic copy of the hearing agenda. + Instead of using hearing folders, the two committee chairs and members used their PC tablet laptops to access testimony…and write notes using Adobe software. Hearing attendees with wireless laptops could also follow along with senators. All hearing documents were put on thumb drives as a backup in case the wireless system experienced glitches.
ReasonsReasons For Going PaperlessFor Going Paperless
Emulate a legislature of Emulate a legislature of 2121stst century organization century organization
Support sustainability goals Support sustainability goals
Increase public Increase public access to the access to the
legislative legislative processprocess
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* We have a forward-looking senate leadership that wanted to upgrade our legislative body for the 21st century. * Our Senate also wanted to show its seriousness about supporting sustainability by “walking the walk” and serving as a role model for other government entities and private sector businesses in Hawaii. We believed the amount of paper “wasteage” was so great that this source reduction was a easy sustainability goal to accomplish. * The paperless project was also seen as an efficient way to allow more of our constituents to participate in the process despite their geographic separation from downtown Honolulu.
Senate Paperless PilotSenate Paperless Pilot Planning & CollaborationPlanning & Collaboration
Leadership sought input from senators and Leadership sought input from senators and staff via survey; staff surveys external usersstaff via survey; staff surveys external users
Two pilot work groups incorporated input in Two pilot work groups incorporated input in designing paperless processesdesigning paperless processes
Processes tested in mock hearings, and Processes tested in mock hearings, and public feedback resulted in free CDs of bills public feedback resulted in free CDs of bills upon requestupon request
Leadership Collaborates with StaffLeadership Collaborates with Staff in Planning and Preparationin Planning and Preparation
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** The current Senate Leadership believes that more and better results can be accomplished using a collaborative approach. + Thanks to Senator Ige, these are best practices used to plan the paperless project.
Senate Paperless Project Senate Paperless Project
25 tablet PCs 25 tablet PCs ––one for each Senatorone for each Senator120 Adobe licenses120 Adobe licensesEnhanced wireless Enhanced wireless capacity in conference capacity in conference rooms and chamberrooms and chamberEnhanced eEnhanced e--mail boxmail boxcapacitycapacity
Total Expenditures = $100,000Total Expenditures = $100,000
Information Technology InfrastructureInformation Technology Infrastructure
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* 20 tablet PC laptops were also provided to staff * pdf software used as our document platform * included wiring our conference rooms * email capacity increased from 25megs to 2 gigs + bought a high-speed CD burner + another $60,000 was spent on IT infrastructure that might have been installed without the paperless project, so this amount was not included in in the $100,000 figure + senators and staff were given remote access to legislative emails, allowing them to work outside the capitol
Senate Paperless Pilot Senate Paperless Pilot Staff & Legislator TrainingStaff & Legislator Training
Staff received group Staff received group training on paperless training on paperless process process andand oneone--onon--one training on software one training on software and hardwareand hardware
Two committee chairs and members Two committee chairs and members participated in several paperless pilot participated in several paperless pilot mock hearings mock hearings andand technical staff technical staff attended hearingsattended hearings
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* included step-by step review of paperless procedures manual * Mock paperless hearings tested the paperless process and equipment prior to session, and identified areas needing tweaks. + Senate data systems office was re-designed to include additional staff, which also spent much time providing technical assistance to senators and especially the two pilot committees. + The Legislature’s Public Access Room assisted the public in the paperless project.
Both pilot committees Both pilot committees managed all committee managed all committee hearings via interactive hearings via interactive agendas on laptopsagendas on laptops
And eliminated all paper And eliminated all paper folders of bills and testimony, folders of bills and testimony, except three folders (original, except three folders (original, public and archives)public and archives)
During floor sessions, 23 of 25 During floor sessions, 23 of 25 Senators accessed daily orders Senators accessed daily orders of the day via laptopsof the day via laptops
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+ In the paperless pilot, instead of committee staff spending hours collating hardcopy testimonies, they worked mainly on managing electronic documents.
2008 Results 2008 Results •• Paperless PilotPaperless Pilot Used Less PaperUsed Less Paper1,340 cases of copier 1,340 cases of copier paper saved (13,400 paper saved (13,400 reams of paper)reams of paper)
Senate reduced paper Senate reduced paper consumption by consumption by 6O percent6O percent
Saved a forest of Saved a forest of 800 trees800 trees
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+ As a sign of a paradigm shift due to the paperless project, the Senate Print Shop was re-named and re-branded as the Senate Document Center. + Due to reduced printing needs, we are re-negotiating senate contracts for paper and copy machines.
2008 Results 2008 Results •• Paperless PilotPaperless Pilot Legislators & Legislators & Public ResponsePublic Response
Senators, who were at first reluctant, Senators, who were at first reluctant, became became ““believersbelievers””
Lobbyists and stakeholder Lobbyists and stakeholder advocates provided positive advocates provided positive feedback, especially feedback, especially neighbor island constituentsneighbor island constituents
Media commented positively Media commented positively on enhanced access to on enhanced access to legislative documentslegislative documents
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* The feeling of “it might not work” changed to “let’s make it work”. * The public liked submitting testimony by email or just one hardcopy, instead of the dozens of copies previously required. * Overall, it appears the paperless project would get an “A” grade for its efforts.
Paper scanners for each senate officePaper scanners for each senate office
Digital audio recordingsDigital audio recordings
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[new slide] * We’ve started an intensive training program to bring all senators and staff up to speed. * We’re planning a free instant messaging service using twitter or other software to relay timely information. * This will give much greater public access to the selected senate proceedings currently webcast live. * This will make it easier for staff to properly process testimony. * PDF OCR software used * This to encourage reduction in paper in senate offices; senate already encourages transmittal of internal communications using email. * We haven’t decided yet, but going digital would allow posting of audio recordings on the Internet. + In addition, a separate-private email account will be provided for each senator.
Maintenance of IT Maintenance of IT infrastructureinfrastructure
Technical proficiencyTechnical proficiency
TechnologyTechnology’’s impact s impact on parliamentary on parliamentary and administrative proceduresand administrative procedures
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* This is critical to moving ahead but fiscal constraints could slow down expansion. * Differences and gaps in technical literacy skills of senators and staff continues to be a challenge, and we hope to close this gap each session even with limited resources. * Our staff is constantly making sure legislative procedures and processes are not compromised by the rapid deployment of new information technologies.
Policy on official documentsPolicy on official documents
Security issuesSecurity issues
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* We want to ensure that those without access to technology can still participate in the legislative process – encourage use of computers in public libraries; they also fax testimonies for citizens. * We need to anticipate and address discrepancies between paper and electronic documents, because official documents are still hardcopy originals with signatures. * We need for enhance our security of legislative database and archives, because a virus invasion last year that caused intermittent problems for several days.
For More Information on theFor More Information on the Senate Paperless ProjectSenate Paperless Project
