• Mission & Governance
• Services Overview
• How to Get Involved
• Standing Committees
• NCSL Foundation

• Issue Areas: A-Z
• State-Federal Relations
• NCSL Standing Committees
• News from D.C. and the States

• About State Legislatures
• Elections, Campaigns & Redistricting
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory
• Web Sites

• Online Guide to NCSL Services
• Staff Sections and Networks
• Meetings & Professional Development
• Staff Directories

• Meetings Calendar
• Online Registration
• Meetings Home Page
• Legislative Summit

• Bookstore
• State Legislatures Magazine
• NCSL's StateConnect Directory

Automating the Wisconsin State Assembly

By:
Linda Hanson
Assistant Chief Clerk of the Assembly
Wisconsin

ASLCS Home Page

With the new millennium approaching, the Wisconsin State Assembly began seeking ways to improve efficiency and streamline its legislative processes to keep pace with the forthcoming technological changes and innovations. After much discussion, investigation, and implementation, Wisconsin’s Assembly Automation Project is well under way.

In February 1998, Wisconsin’s Assembly leaders appointed a bipartisan Chamber Automation Task Force. The Task Force’s goal was to design and implement a more efficient legislative information system for legislators and their staff. To achieve this goal, task force members gathered information on current chamber automation systems from NCSL and visited legislatures in Illinois and Michigan to view firsthand their chamber automation systems during actual floor sessions. As a result, the Task Force identified several major prerequisites and objectives of the automation system:

1) Provide information that is timely, correct, and uniform thereby allowing members to spend more time on issues.
2) Allow for quicker communication with colleagues, constituents, staff, lobbyists, external agencies, other states, etc.
3) Be quick and easy to use.
4) Provide a "portable office."
5) Provide a tool for information access (intranet/internet) for research on policies and issues.

Once these objectives were defined, Chief Clerk Charlie Sanders, Task Force members, and staff from our Legislative Technology Services Bureau (LTSB) began automating Wisconsin’s Assembly Chamber, its members, and their staff.

AUTOMATING THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER

Voting System
The Assembly Chamber’s Daktronics voting system was ten years old. LTSB conducted Year 2000 tests of the DOS-based voting system. Unfortunately, these tests failed and the system could not be manipulated to operate correctly past the year 2000. Because the Wisconsin Legislature operates on a biennial basis, the Y2K problem needed to be solved by the session beginning in January 1999. Daktronics was again chosen to upgrade our system in large part because of the firm’s knowledge of and familiarity with existing equipment, the voting system, our Assembly Chamber, and the January 1999 deadline.

Daktronics provided the customized hardware and software we were looking for, taking advantage of the last decade’s many advances in personal computing, networking hardware, and display technology. The new system performs all of the functions the old system had, including easy display editing, color coding of votes, displaying the current item being debated, and displaying totals for each vote. On-site training and support for our first session was provided along with two years’ continued support of the system.

Daktronics began installation of the voting system in late December 1998 and the system was up and running for the January 4 Inauguration Day Session.

The new system features state-of-the-art digital touch screens for the Chief Clerk and Speaker, replacing the old static button panels from the previous system. These touch screens allow LTSB to fully customize every control and display element, maximizing the efficiency of the interface. The voting system operator’s old, cumbersome button panel has been replaced with cutting-edge notebook computers that are very similar to the IBM ThinkPads that the Legislators recently began using. Again, the advantage of customization can be fully realized with this arrangement.

An important stipulation for developing the voting system was that it maintain the aesthetic integrity and traditional appearance of the existing chamber. LTSB, Daktronics, and the Capitol’s Department of Administration staff were very successful in adhering to this stipulation throughout the system upgrade. They were able to integrate the existing "aye" and "no" buttons at each member’s console for use in the new system, so the voting interface remains the same for legislators. The existing brass frames for the vote wall displays were also used. Only minor modifications were necessary on the Chief Clerk’s and Speaker’s podiums to accommodate the new touch screens.

One of the most popular differences between the old and new systems is the quick turnaround of roll call votes. Previously, members had to wait for a printout of roll call votes and then for an Assembly messenger to make copies before having access to the votes. Now, the votes are provided almost immediately and with as many copies as selected. At some point, it is anticipated members will be able to view the roll call (vote results) on their laptops shortly after the roll has been closed.

There have been very minor "glitches" in the voting system since its installation but Daktronics continues to provide assistance and support whenever questions or concerns arise.

Reducing Paper Overload

Historically, Assembly members brought bill file folders to the Chamber for each day’s Session. More often than not, on days when there were many bills scheduled, members brought their bills to the Assembly Floor in cardboard boxes. During the course of the day’s proceedings, other paper would be added to the bill folders including distributions of new bills; memos; letters; appeals from lobbyists, state agencies, and constituents; and Legislative Council memos. By the end of the day, stacks of loose papers and files required more than one person to return it to the member’s office.

Amendments make up the bulk of floor distributions. Unlike some states, in Wisconsin few amendments are introduced or considered during the committee process. Instead, members introduce most amendments on the day a bill is up for debate by the full Assembly. A majority of the amendments have already been put into appropriate legal language by the Legislative Reference Bureau, our bill drafting agency. However, some amendments are handwritten on the spur of the moment by legislators and staff.

Regardless of how they are drafted, amendments must be copied and provided to the members before the vote is taken on a bill. Added to the paperload frustration, were frequent delays as Assembly messengers copied and then delivered 110 copies of amendments and other distributions to 99 members, Chief Clerk staff, and members of the press corps. This process occasionally took more than an hour, while members waited to resume debate. There had to be an easier way.

One way to eliminate the paperload was to make use of the advanced capabilities of a Xerox Document Centre 230 installed late last year within the Chamber. Along with copying functions, the Document Centre 230 has FAX and scanning capabilities. Utilizing these features has helped us manage our documents better, faster, and with fewer errors. Assembly messengers or Chief Clerk staff now scan amendments at the Xerox 230 which transmits them to members’ laptops, reducing distribution time from hours to seconds.

AUTOMATING THE LEGISLATOR

Laptops

The Chamber Automation Task Force, with the assistance of the LTSB and valuable input from legislators themselves, considered a variety of notebook models. Of high priority was a notebook configuration compatible with the office workstation configuration. Notebook requirements included a 14.1" monitor, DVD drive for large data sets, and Super Disks to facilitate file transfers. While none of the evaluated notebooks met all of the requirements, the decision was made to purchase IBM ThinkPads. They were standardized with a Microsoft NT 4.0 notebook, Microsoft Office 97, and Internet Explorer 4.01.

The laptops are the legislator’s "portable office," essentially replacing the stacks of bill files and paperwork most members were accustomed to carrying to the floor each day. Getting members used to the change, however, would take time.

While most Assembly members had a working knowledge of computers, training was needed on how to utilize the laptop’s capabilities in the course of the Assembly’s daily floor session. The LTSB scheduled two to four hour training sessions and worked with members individually on the use of their laptop and how best to employ it during floor sessions. Emphasis was placed on describing the benefits members could expect from the new process. These benefits were balanced with expectations that members needed to dedicate the time and effort necessary to use the system effectively. LTSB provides ongoing support to members with trained technical staff available on the floor of the Assembly during floor sessions to answer their questions or concerns.

On January 26, 1999, members of the Wisconsin Assembly brought their laptop computers to the Chamber for a "test drive." While the day contained a few setbacks, response from members was positive and the project continues to receive glowing reviews.

Using the system, members can easily access and search through items such as the daily calendar; bill and amendment text; bill histories; committee reports; the U.S. and Wisconsin Constitutions; State Statutes; Assembly Rules and Joint Rules; journals; roll calls; and fiscal estimates through a software program called FOLIO.

FOLIO makes legislative documents available in a format that is fully searchable. It is a critical research tool for drafting legislation and has been integrated into our bill drafting system (TEXT2000). Status tracking and research in the legislative offices has been made much easier by having related documents hypertext linked for quick access to information. For example, bill histories are linked to the text of bills, amendments, acts, and journals. Daily updates of frequently changed documents are done programmatically each evening. Less frequently updated documents are done on a weekly or "on request" basis. FOLIO software exists on the network and on the legislature’s web site.

Members have the option of viewing the text of bills and amendments side-by-side, so they can see how the amendments fit into the original bill draft. They can also quickly search through the text of the draft for specific words or phrases. Electronic "bill folders" can be created, allowing for storage of all related documents. For example, e-mail received from constituents or memorandums relating to a specific bill may be stored in that bill’s electronic folder for easy access at a later time.

This feature allows legislators to look ahead to future items on the day’s calendar or review an item that was discussed previously that day. Legislators will also have the option to flip from the screen displaying the current proposal back to the daily calendar or another application.

Because of the members’ ability to access previous actions on bills, there has been a marked reduction in the number of inquiries to the Speaker, Chief Clerk, and his staff with requests for:

1) Current Bill Status
2) Committee Reports
3) Dates a bill entered and left a certain committee
4) Copy of a roll call on a certain vote
5) References to the Assembly Constitution, State Statutes, and Assembly Rules

An advantage to the Chief Clerk, Assembly Speaker, and Speaker Pro Tempore is the benefit of seeing the day’s calendar, the bill currently being debated, and the immediate results of roll calls, without having to search through stacks of bills and paper or make the request of Chief Clerk’s staff. The electronic version of the calendar is continually being updated as bills are moved around on the calendar and as amendments are introduced.

Members can use the Internet while on the Assembly floor to research important topics up for debate and vote that day. Access to the sites of state agencies, other states, and legislative organizations is also important in answering the concerns and questions of constituents. Members especially like having access to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s home page (for budget updates), and the FOLIO file (which includes the complete State Statutes). Access to the Internet is available from within and outside the chamber. From within the chamber, members will connect to the Internet via the state network. When outside the chamber, legislators are able to dial into our system to gain access.

On their laptops, members have an office suite identical to their staff. Communication and workflow between legislators and their staff is easier, because members use the same word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail, and scheduling tools. Members can send and receive documents and messages while in the district or in transit. They are also able to view their on-line personal calendars, keeping current of any changes or additions to their schedules since leaving the offices.

The Assembly has a few laptop hurdles yet to address, including:

1) The handling of amendments (regular and floor), how they are displayed while being discussed, and how they are stored when off the floor (in committee meetings and caucus).
2) Creating an "electronic" bill file that would correspond to a regular "hard copy" bill file that could be stored for use "off-line" which would include: the original bill, all amendments, bill summary, fiscal report, and all other correspondence (including constituent and special interest letters).
3) Create a system on the floor controlled by the Assembly Chief Clerk that would create a "default" on each member’s laptop to the topic currently being discussed.
4) Solving "dial in" problems from a remote location. In some areas of the state, outdated lines have problems keeping a connection.

These issues and inconveniences are minor compared to the positives we have received from the laptops. Without question, even in the few short months of use, they have proven to be a very efficient resource for legislators.

AUTOMATING STAFF OFFICES

The Legislature last upgraded their staff computers in 1996. However, they were becoming outdated and failing at an increasing rate. Even though the machines were covered under warranty, the failures caused considerable disruption, not to mention frustration, for legislative staff. Of equal concern was 1) the machines were non-Y2K compliant; and 2) the previous configurations in the Assembly offices were minimal for today’s office software standards. Clearly, all workstations required extensive software upgrades. After considerable study and discussion, the Chief Clerks, Legislative Leadership, and LTSB decided that total replacement of the workstations would be more cost effective than adding the required software upgrades.

In December 1998 the LTSB replaced the machines with Omnitechs. The following standard software configuration allows legislative offices to increase productivity, better serve their constituents, and effectively conduct the business of the Wisconsin Legislature:

1) Microsoft NT 4.0 Workstation
2) Microsoft Office 97 Professional
3) Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 4.01
4) Microsoft Outlook 98
5) Adobe Acrobat Reader
6) Folio 4.ll
7) Microsoft SMS client version 1.2
8) Real Audio Player
9) Win ZIP
10) "Forward" Constituent Tracking Database (developed by LTSB)
11) Committee Clerk Database Application for Committee Hearings and Record Keeping (developed by LTSB)
12) Print drivers for the HP 4+, HP Color printer, Xerox DocuCentre

The change to Omnitech consolidated these upgrades to the office software, as well as a cost savings of almost $1,000 per workstation with replacement of the most frequently failing hardware components.

Replacement of the workstations proved even more cost effective than originally projected. For example, the Legislature saved more than $600,000 in installation fees in 1998 as LTSB staff completed all installation work. Paid vendor support was $37.00, a significant difference from the next lowest bidder for the project — $239.00.

Of greater significance than the cost savings, however, is the positive feedback from the users. Staff have found significant advantages to the newer machines, specifically with regard to speed. Access to and processing of information is done in half the time and many indicate their productivity has greatly increased. Of equal importance is the addition of the sound card, which allows staff access to the activities of the Assembly Chamber during Session as well as local and national news media updates. This feature was used extensively during the recent impeachment hearings as well as the Bosnia and Kosovo crises.

WHAT’S AHEAD?

Response to Wisconsin’s Automation Project from members and the public has been extremely positive. The Assembly clearly achieved its goal of a more efficient legislative system by increasing workstation reliability while, at the same time, maintaining costs. The project is not finished, however, as we continue to find ways to improve our operations.

We are also investigating other areas where we can take advantage of the in-house technology to streamline the legislative process:

1) Scanning legislative surveys and newsletters for electronic distribution to constituents.
2) Posting the voting results to the Assembly’s web site.
3) A centrally located "kiosk" near the entrance to the Assembly Chamber to allow constituents, lobbyists, and visitors to the Capitol an opportunity to access information on the actions of the Assembly.
4) Network connections within the Chamber to provide hookup for members of the Press.

By fall of 1999, the Assembly hopes to become a "paperless" body, with all bills, amendments, and roll call votes available on members’ laptops. While it was relatively easy getting members interested in and using laptops on the floor, we anticipate it will be more difficult moving them to this next level and our expectations may be somewhat high. However, everyone realizes the advantages of becoming "paperless" and is committed to accomplishing this goal. We have our work cut out for us, but if we continue to keep everyone informed of the process, educate them on the system, and provide members with individual training and computer support staff, tutorials, as well as on-the-floor assistance, the Wisconsin Assembly will advance to that next step.

Without question, the process of keeping up with the latest innovations is never ending. However, we believe the upgrades and computerization accomplished in the last year and the commitment we have made to maintaining cutting-edge technology in future years, places Wisconsin well on its way to becoming one of the country’s leaders in Chamber automation.

For more information about ASLCS, write or call:

Joan Barilla
National Conference of State Legislatures
7700 East First Place
Denver, CO 80230
Phone: 303/856-1349
FAX: 303/364-7800
E-mail: joan.barilla@ncsl.org