Olympia Officials Go On-Line
New technology is bringing state government closer to home this year - or at least closer to the home computer.
Internet access to state officials is spreading quickly as the Legislature opens its new session on Monday.
Sharon Hayward, deputy chief clerk of the House, said a pilot program begun last year to put a few legislators on the Internet has grown to accommodate every member who chooses to participate.
“It’s being implemented as we speak,” Hayward said. The information available on the Internet will vary, but will include electronic mail access to keep constituents in touch, Hayward said.
“Our goal is to make state government as accessible as possible to the people of the state of Washington,” she said.
A list of legislators’ e-mail addresses is being compiled and Hayward said she hopes to make it available to the public by late January.
When it’s completed, the address list will be available through the Capitol Bill Room by calling (360) 786-7573.
General information on legislation and state government can be found on the Internet at http://www.leg.wa.gov, the main legislative home page. The page includes the text of bills, initiatives and referendums, the status of legislation, roll call votes, and the session schedule.
The information is updated daily, and is in simple ASCII language that can be read by most computers.
Gov. Mike Lowry also is on the Internet, launching his own home page last Thursday.
Lowry spokesman Martin Munguia said the page includes current press releases, the governor’s schedule, his current proposals to the Legislature and his e-mail address.
The home page can be reached at http://www.wa.gov/governor.
“The governor is absolutely interested in what the people of the state have to say,” Munguia said. “This is another tool to give them access.”
People who aren’t on-line can reach lawmakers by phone through the legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000. The toll-free line is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
It provides information about legislation and operates a message service to send comments to lawmakers.
Joanne Alger, hotline supervisor, said callers need to be patient because some legislative issues generate thousands of calls a day, clogging the phone lines.
“We are busy all the time,” Alger said. “During the session, we no sooner hang up the phone than it rings again with another caller.”
To receive faster service through the hotline, Alger suggested that callers know their legislative district and the name of the lawmaker they are trying to reach.
The governor’s office can be reached through the hotline or by calling his number, (360) 753-6780.
Written information is available through the Capitol Bill Room, (360) 786-7573. Publications include the daily status of bills, meeting schedules and the legislative digest.
, DataTimes