From: Jim Warren Subject: GovAccess.029: ACTION ALERT-SUPPORT ONLINE PUBLIC-RECORDS ACCESS (NOW!) Mar.30, 1994 I'm still behind ~600 msgs from 3/7 to now, but think I have cleaned up my most-crucial GovAccess-related email. Expect to be caught up by this weekend. I also expect to post details of a GovAccess ftp and gopher archive site. --jim &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& BILL WOULD MANDATE FREE ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS TO STATE'S PUBLIC RECORDS An *immediate* action-item for Californians. Semi-model legislation for use in other states. Go get 'em! On APRIL 5TH, the Calif. Assembly Committee on Governmental Operations will vote on opening up the PUBLIC RECORDS of the EXECUTIVE Branch of state government to the same kind of free online access as is now available for California *Legislative* Branch information. ** Letters of support are needed IMMEDIATELY! (1 page, 1-few paragraphs) ** Assembly Bill 2451, by Assembly Member Tom Bates (D-Oakland area), requires that all of the public's already-computerized state *PUBLIC* records be available to the public via the Internet, without state fees (same language as Bowen's AB1624 last year, re legislative information). Open government! Accessible from home, work, school, libraries, civic nets. To my surprise and great delight, this bill appears to have a reasonable chance of passage -- *IF* there is an outpouring of public support ... but, *before* legislators have to vote on it. Faxes and snailmail letters are needed QUICKLY to two places: 1. Assembly Member Tom Bates fax/916-445-6434 [they need paper/fax copies to wave at fence-sitters] State Capitol, Room 446 Sacramento CA 95814 voice/916-428-1599 2. Hon. Curtis Tucker, Jr., Chairman Assembly Governmental Operations Committee State Capitol Sacramento CA 95814 fax/916-327-3517. Greeting: Dear Chairman Tucker and Members of the Committee, If you have questions, contact Bate's Aide, Rachel Richman - QUICKLY! Capitol (M-Th)/916-445-7554; District (F)/510-428-1423 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& GLORIOSKI! YOU CAN *EMAIL* SUPPORT FOR AB2451 TO BATES' AIDE Hot darg! With hesitancy based on horror stories of drinking from the Internet firehose, Bates' Legislative Aide, Rachel Richman, has set up an interum email address to receive communications re AB2541. *IF* you can't get it together to fax a support letter (or snailmail other communications), at least send her email: rrichman@igc.apc.org . - Be *sure* to include YOUR PHONE number and full snailmail address, so that any vigilent legislator [yeah, there are some :-) ] can independently verify that you really did author the message, since it won't have a signa-scribble. - Richman will be printing the msgs and including them with the faxed and snail'ed letters. Therefore, please write it *exactly* as you would a paper or fax message. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& TELL YOUR POWERFUL FRIENDS - THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS' CONSTITUENTS Even a *few* faxes and letters from legislators' home-area constituents are of *great* value. If you are in any of the Committee Members' districts, or know folks who are, who would support modern access to open government, you/they should fax/write/email the Committee member WITH A COPY TO Bates: Assembly Governmental Operations Committee members: Hon. Curtis R. Tucker, Jr., Chairman (Inglewood) Assemblywoman Barbara Alby Assemblyman Joe Baca (San Bernadino) Assemblyman Cruz Bustamante (Fresno) Assemblyman Tom Connolly (Lemon Grove) Assemblyman Dom Cortese (San Jose) Assemblyman Dan Hauser (Eureka) Assemblyman Bill Hoge (Pasadena) Assemblywoman Betty Karnette (Long Beach/San Pedro) Assemblyman Pete Knight (Palmdale) Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (Alhambra) Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (co-author of AB 2451) (Los Angeles) Assemblywoman Grace Napolitano (Norwalk) Assemblyman Chuck Quackenbush (San Jose) Assemblyman Bernie Richter (Chico) Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (Camarillo) &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& AB2451 BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bates JANUARY 4, 1994 An act to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 11720) to Chapter 7 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to information technology. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2451, as introduced, Bates. Information technology. Existing law establishes the Office of Information Technology in the Department of Finance and imposes on the office various duties concerning the use of information technologies within state government. This bill would require the office to develop a plan by January 1, 1996, for free statewide computer-assisted public access to government information that has been computerized and is subject to public disclosure. The bill would require implementation of the plan to begin no later than January 1, 1996, and that the plan be operational no later than January 1, 2000. The bill would require the office to make various reports to the Legislature during the development and implementation of the plan. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Article 3 (commencing with Section 11720) is added to Chapter 7 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read: Article 3. Public Access to Government Information 11720. The Legislature finds and declares that it is essential to good government that information that is available to the public under the California Public Records Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, and the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act be made available to the citizens of the state, irrespective of where they reside, in a timely manner, and at the least possible cost. It is the intent of the Legislature that this goal shall be achieved by the enactment of a plan that implements the following strategic goals outlined in the report issued by the Office of Information Technology in the Department of Finance entitled "Strategic Direction for Information Technology in California State Government 1993-1999": (a) To bring government closer to the people. (b) To enhance the value of government services. (c) To make government more responsive to changing public needs. (d) To reduce the cost of government. 11721. (a) The Office of Information Technology in the Department of Finance shall work with all state agencies, appropriate federal government agencies, local government agencies, and members of the public to develop and implement a plan to make copies of all information that is computerized by any state agency and that is subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act, the Ralph M. Brown Act, or the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act accessible to the public in computer-readable form. (b) The information identified in subdivision (a) shall be made available to the public by means of access by way of the largest nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative public computer network at no cost to the public, schools, libraries, and other government entities. The information shall be made available in one or more formats and by one or more means in order to provide the greatest feasible access to the general public in this state. Any person who accesses the information may access all or any part of the information. The information may also be made available by any other means of access that would facilitate public access to the information. (c) Any documentation that describes the electronic digital formats of the information identified in subdivision (a) and is available to the public shall be make available by means of access by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b). (d) Personal information concerning a person who accesses the information may be maintained only for the purpose of providing service to the person. (e) No fee or other charge may be imposed by an agency as a condition of accessing the information that is accessible by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b). (f) The electronic public access provided by way of the computer network specified in subdivision (b) shall be in addition to other electronic or print distribution of the information. Access systems shall protect the security of government owned or operated systems using proven security approaches at the least possible cost. (g) Information shall be provided in a manner that automatically redacts private or confidential information when it is commingled with public information in computerized government records. (h) Computer feasibility studies by state agencies and state agency purchases of computer equipment, programs, and services that involve computerized public information shall include a component to ensure free public access to the information by way of the largest nonproprietary, nonprofit cooperative computer network. (i) No action taken pursuant to this section shall be deemed to alter or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or entitlement of the State of California relating to any of the information made available pursuant to this section. 11722. (a) The office shall be the lead agency in the development and implementation of the plan specified in Section 11721. The plan shall be completed no later than January 1, 1996. The office shall report to the Legislature on April 1, July 1, and October 1, 1995, on progress being made in developing the plan, obstacles to implementing the plan, and recommendations for legislative changes in this article. (b) The office shall study the following issues in developing the plan: (1) Methods for offsetting any cost through savings from making government more efficient and incorporating public access into all new computer-related purchases. (2) Integration of a public access requirement into feasibility studies for purchases of computer hardware and software. (c) Implementation of the plan shall begin no later than January 1, 1996, and the plan shall be fully implemented and operational no later than January 1, 2000. The office shall report to the Legislature annually no later than January 1 of each year from 1996 through 2000. State agencies that have not completed implementation of the plan by January 1, 2000, shall be prohibited from purchasing computer equipment or computer programs or contracting for computer services without the express approval of the Legislature. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& "The Internet is its own revolution." [from amr@isoc.org signature-text] Mo' as it Is. --jim Jim Warren, columnist for MicroTimes, Government Technology, BoardWatch, etc. 345 Swett Rd., Woodside CA 94062; voice/415-851-7075; fax/415-851-2814 >> To join or drop the GovAccess list, email to jwarren@well.sf.ca.us .<< >> Permission herewith granted for unlimited reposting and recirculation.<<