------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Jan 1994 05:32:39 -0800 From: Jim Warren Subject: File 7--PUB.RCDS #1: online polit disclosures + leg.online (AB1624) Jan. 18, 1994 This starts a new series of online Updates and occasional panic-mode Action Alerts regarding specific legislative and regulatory efforts to assure modern [online, computer-assisted] access to public government records -- legislative, executive and judicial; federal, state and local. Most of these postings will fit on one or two printed pages; some will be noticeably longer. ** Any time you wish to NOT receive further postings, just lemmie know and I'll delete you from the distribution list. ** NEWS TO YOU? As I begin this series, I am adding a large number of eaddrs for folks who have either explicitly requested information in the last several months about online state legislation, or have otherwise been suggested as likely-interested in computer-assisted access to public records. Reiterating: Yer on the list until you ask to be off the list. PROPOSAL FOR COMPUTER-ASSISTED ACCESS TO POLITICAL DISCLOSURES NOW ONLINE I have finally found time to upload my 28-page [printed], Jan. 1st implementation proposal that has been circulating in state and local political circles since ~Jan. 4th: "Computerized Political Disclosures: Doing It with Minimal Cost and Maximum Utility." This details how to conveniently and economically computerize the filing of and computer-assisted public access to state and local campaign-finance disclosures, officials' statements of economic interests, and state lobbyists' disclosures. Local-government Clerks and Voter Registrars can implement it for a one-time cost of ~$10,000 (if they don't already have a spare PC). Filings and statewide public access for state offices can be implemented for as little as $12,000 for a minimal adequate system, plus perhaps $200/month for statewide access too all disclosures within hours of them being filed. (It is likely, however, that they may spend 3 to 5 times the minimum capital amount -- but will incur significant other savings in staff and resources and provide wildly-improved statewide services.) Copies in MacWord5 and/or RTF format are available by anonymous-ftp, WAIS, gopher, Veronica, etc. from: Internet-host: cpsr.org In directory: /cpsr/states/california/polidisclos [If you are on the WELL, you can copy them directly from my home directory.] On Jan. 11th, I met with Deputy Chief Secretary of State Tony Miller and his staff, who had reviewed the proposal. They were enthusiastic about it, and projected that they will need little or *no* additional budget allocation to do it. It will, however, require some legislative authorizations and mandates. It appears likely that State Senator Tom Hayden will amend the needed language into his campaign-reform bill, SB758. I should know more within two weeks or less. FOUR BILLS INTRODUCED TO OPEN UP ALREADY-COMPUTERIZED PUBLIC RECORDS Assembly Members Debra Bowen (D, Marina del Rey) and Tom Bates (D, Oakland- Berkeley) have introduced a total of four bills seeking modern access to California's computerized public records. Call their offices for copies: Bowen: 916-445-8528, Mary Winkley Bates: 916-445-7554, Rachel Richman More in future updates. Privacy advocates, please note: A "public" record, by definition, does NOT include personal information that is not public. SON OF AB1624 [Or "OFFSPRING OF ...", for the politically-correct :-) ] These notices are a follow-on to 34+ online notices regarding the 1993 California Legislature's Assembly Bill 1624 (by Bowen). Now Calif. Govt. Code 10248, AB1624 mandates that all California state legislation-in-progress, state statutes and the state Constitution be available via the Internet, without charge by the state. For antiquitarians' interest, those online notices plus other related postings are available by anonymous-ftp, WAIS, gopher, Veronica, etc. from: Internet-host: cpsr.org In directory: /cpsr/states/california/AB1624. STATE LEGISLATION ONLINE: AB1624 WHEN? AB1624 was signed into law on Oct. 11th and took effect Jan. 1, 1994. At the end of December, bill-author Bowen's office said the Legislative Counsel - which operates the Legislative Data Center (LDC)- had estimated they would be online and operational by Jan. 10th. Last week, Bowen's office reported that Legis.Counsel was then estimating they would be online and publicly operational by Friday, Jan. 21st. It continues to be my sincere belief that the LDC staff *are* *diligently* trying to get the system operational. Don't blame them; I honestly believe they are doing the best they can with the time and resources allotted to them by their management. However, I find it arrogant disregard by the Chief Legislative Counsel, that he ignores requests for progress details - especially amazing in that the entire issue in AB1624 is the public's right to know what their/our government is doing. All the worse, his lack of a public statement causes his computer staff unjustified ill-repute among the public, and that ain't right! If they're not online by about the 23rd, I will send another update giving the name, address, phone number and fax number of the responsible party, the Chief Legislative Counsel, and folks can explore his responsive- ness, directly. When I know more, you'll know more. Mo' as it Is. --jim Jim Warren, columnist for MicroTimes, Government Technology, BoardWatch, etc. jwarren@well.sf.ca.us -or- jwarren@autodesk.com 345 Swett Rd., Woodside CA 94062; voice/415-851-7075; fax/415-851-2814 [organizer & Chair, First Conference on Computers, Freedom & Privacy (1991); InfoWorld founder (1978); PBS's "Computer Chronicles" first host; blah blah] >>Permission herewith granted for unlimited reposting and recirculation.<< =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ + END THIS FILE + +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=