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AGENDA
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
2005 Professional Development Seminar
Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn
Rapid City, South Dakota
October 5-8, 2005 |
Wednesday || Thursday || Friday || Saturday
As of 10/3/05
All sessions and events will be held at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn unless otherwise noted.
Tuesday, October 4
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4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Registration |
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7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Registration
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7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast
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--------------Special Half-Day Pre-Conference Training Session------------
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8:00 a.m.-Noon
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XML Tutorial
Welcome and Introductions: Senator Royal G. (Mac) McCracken, South Dakota
Trainer:
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Noon-1 p.m. |
Lunch
****Sponsored by Xcential****
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1:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
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XML in Legislatures
States that are at various stages of implementing XML-based systems will discuss why they chose to use XML, its value for the particular application, and how they have gone about implementation. Following the presentations, panelists and audience members will participate in a roundtable discussion.
Moderator: Gary Wieman, Network Manager, Legislative Technology Center, Nebraska
Panelists:
- Jason Montgomery, Information System Analyst III, Legislative Information System, Illinois
- Mark Wenda, Application Services Manager, Legislative Information System, Illinois
- Tim Orr, Systems Analyst/Programmer, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Minnesota
- Devan Shepherd, CEO, CTO, XMaLpha, Minnesota
- Clyde Hatter, VP of Legislative and Regulatory Solutions, Propylon Inc., New York
- Grant Vergottini, Co-Founder and CTO, Xcential, California
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3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
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Break
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3:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m. |
XML in Legislatures: Roundtable
This roundtable discussion will address some of the most frequently asked questions that come up for states looking at implementing systems using XML. The session also provides audience members with the opportunity to ask questions of the previous session's panelists and to share information about projects being planned or underway in their own states.
Facilitator:
- Gary Wieman, Network Manager, Legislative Technology Center, Nebraska
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4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
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Orientation to NALIT for New Attendees
This session, sponsored by the NALIT Outreach Committee, is intended for new attendees of the NALIT seminar. Meet others new to NALIT, find out about the benefits of the association, and learn how to get involved and get the most out of your membership in NALIT.
Facilitator:
- Ann McLaughlin, Director, Legislative Information System, Office of the Controller General, Delaware and Chair, NALIT Outreach Committee
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6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
222 New York Street |
Opening Reception–Journey Museum
Our opening reception will be held at the Journey Museum, a short walk from the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn. The museum tells the complete story of the Western Great Plains from the perspective of the Lakota people, the pioneers who shaped its past, and the scientists who now study it.
Meet at 5:45 p.m. at the front entrance of the hotel for the short walk to the Journey Museum.
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7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
Registration
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| 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast
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8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Introductions
Lou Adamson and Scott Darnall, South Dakota, 2005 NALIT Seminar Host State Chairs, South Dakota
Opening Keynote Address—Russ Rogers, CEO, Security Horizon, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Russ Rogers is co-founder, CEO, CTO and Principle Security Consultant for Security Horizon, Inc. He leads the company's technical security practice and the services business development efforts. Russ is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and has served in military and contract support for the National Security Agency and the Defense Information Systems Agency. He also serves as Professor of Network Security at the University of Advancing Technology (uat.edu) in Tempe, Arizona. He is the editor-in-chief of "The Security Journal," author of "Hacking a Terror Network: The Silent Threat of Covert Channels" and is a contributor to many other books.
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Break
****Sponsored by ISYS Search Software****
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9:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. |
Concurrent Sessions
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Management Track: Avoiding Outdated Applications
Are there best practices for managing the update process? How do you get buy-in from management and users for updates? Should they be done in-house or outsourced? This session explores how to manage the update process, but will also look at maintaining older applications when justified or necessary.
Moderator: Stephen Kriegish, Director, Legislative Information Services, Tennessee
Speakers:
- Peter Capriglione, Manager, Business Applications/Legislative Technologist, General Assembly, North Carolina
- Mary Galligan, Assistant Director, Legislative Research Department, Kansas
- Craig Nakahara, Information Resource Specialist II, House of Representatives, Hawaii
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Technical Track: Web Search Engines
This session reviews and compares the various search engine products available for web sites and how they have worked in state legislatures.
Moderator: Scott Darnall, Sr. Programmer Analyst, Legislative Research Council, South Dakota
Speakers:
- Pat Casey, Web Technician, Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada
- Mark Allred, Information Systems Manager, Office of Legislative Research & General Counsel, Utah
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| 10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m. |
Break
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10:45 a.m.-Noon |
Concurrent Sessions
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Management Track: Policies for Mobile Technology
PDAs and cell phones are becoming commonplace in legislatures, but they can be difficult and expensive to support and manage. This session will look at what policies should be in place and how states are managing mobile devices. It will also look at customizing legislative content for users of these devices.
Moderator: Paul Schweizer, Controller, House of Representatives, Minnesota
Speakers:
- Paul Pinner, Information Systems Analyst, House of Delegates, Virginia
- Rick Wright, Director of Information Systems, House of Representatives, Michigan
- David Elder, Call Center Manager, Legislative Council, Texas
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Technical Track: ADA Issues for Legislatures
How do states provide for the disabled in meeting rooms, chamber galleries, chamber desks and Web sites? This session will explore the technology, vendors, types of devices, and how legislatures are meeting these needs.
Moderator: Nichole Dillon, Information Technology Specialist, Legislative Service Office, Wyoming
Speakers:
- Eric Dugger, Operations Manager, Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada
- Robbie LaFleur, Director, Legislative Reference Library, Minnesota
- Paul Mayotte, Director, Legislative Information Services, Maine
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Noon-1:00 p.m. |
Lunch and Exhibits:
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1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. |
Roundtable: Training Issues
This roundtable will begin with a focus on training issues--from training for IT staff to training for users and other issues of interest to participants.
Facilitator: Eric Dugger, Operations Manager, Legislative Counsel Bureau, Nevada
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| 2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m. |
Break
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2:45 p.m.-4:30 p.m. |
State-by-State Roundtable
This session offers the chance for each state or office to share information about new or interesting technology projects planned, underway or recently completed.
Moderator: Duncan Goss, Director of Information Technology, Vermont
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5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel/
Gold Dust Casino
22 Lee Street
Deadwood, South Dakota
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Reception: Deadwood
****Sponsored by NCSI/NetComm Solutions****
We’ll board buses to Deadwood, where the entire city has been designated a national historic landmark. We’ll start with a sponsored reception from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., then allow you time to have dinner on your own and explore the attractions before our buses return to Rapid City.
Buses will depart from the front entrance of the hotel at 5:30 p.m. After the reception, the first bus will leave Deadwood at about 8 p.m. for a 9 p.m. arrival at the hotel; the final bus will depart at about 10 p.m. for an 11 p.m. arrival at the hotel.
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7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
Registration
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7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
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Continental Breakfast
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8:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
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General Session: Public Wireless Systems
A growing number of legislatures offer wireless access to legislative information at the capitol. Panelists will discuss their experience with costs, benefits, risks, and strategies for deploying wireless networks.
Moderator: Lou Adamson, Legislative Information System Coordinator, South Dakota
Speakers:
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10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
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Break
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10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. |
Concurrent Sessions
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Management Track: IT Staffing and Structure
Most legislatures have a central information technology office that serves all legislators and staff, but many have separate house and senate IT offices or even a separate office for each caucus. Panelists will discuss the variations on these structures and the benefits and challenges posed by each.
Moderator: Diane Coates, Computer Services Coordinator, Legislative Counsel, Oregon
Speakers:
- Paul Schweizer, Controller, House of Representatives, Minnesota
- Gary Schaefer, Information Systems Coordinator, Senate, Louisiana
- Mark Wenda, Application Services Manager, Legislative Information System, Illinois
- Linda Wettstone, Systems Analyst, Senate, Virginia
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Technical Track: Disaster Preparedness
Recent natural disasters have again raised awareness of the need to prepare for events that can take down mission- critical legislative systems. This session will look at how states can gain support for and implement disaster preparedness and recovery plans.
Moderator: Duncan Goss, Director of Information Technology, Vermont
Speakers:
- Brent Dowling, Technology Integration Manager, Bureau of Information and Telecommunications, South Dakota
- Tim Lowry, Assistant CIO, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky
- Scott Rowe, Computer Systems Engineer, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky
- Fred McDowell, Technical Support Group Manager, Legislative Service Center, Washington
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11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. |
Lunch
****Sponsored by West****
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1:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
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General Session: Data Management and Preservation of Digital Records
This session will cover the preservation of digital records and publications and tools available to states--an electronic recordkeeping plan/template, a Library of Congress Capability Assessment, and the OAIS Reference Model. The session will provide a closer look at how states are approaching the issue and discussion of the differences in these approaches.
Moderator: Terri Clark, DMS Manager, Legislative Administrative Services, Kansas
Speakers:
- Robert Horton, Head of State Archives, State Archivist, Minnesota
- Robbie LaFleur, Director, Legislative Reference Library, Minnesota
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2:45 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
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Break
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3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
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General Session: Managing the Creation, Usage, and Storage of Data
What practices do states employ to manage their data? Do states replicate data to make it available to the public website? Has the use of XML aided legislatures to reduce the amount and type of data that needs to be kept, or are other methods still needed? What have states done to alleviate the replication of common data (bill number, sponsor, etc.) by applications that require a different format? What are some practices to prepare data for archival? This session will explore various methods states have employed to manage their data through various stages.
Moderator: Gary Wieman, Network Manager, Legislative Technology Center, Nebraska
Speakers:
- Alan Harling, Project Manager, Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc., Illinois
- Robert Horton, Head of State Archives, State Archivist, Minnesota
- Scott Darnall, Sr. Programmer Analyst, Legislative Research Council, South Dakota
- Peter Capriglione, Manager, Business Applications/Legislative Technologist, General Assembly North Carolina
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Open Evening
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7:30 a.m.-Noon |
Registration
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8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
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Continental Breakfast |
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9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. |
Closing Keynote Address: John Gilroy
John Gilroy, a columnist for The Washington Post since 1994, has published more than 500 columns regarding all aspects of personal computing. Readers and audiences praise him for his humor, his clear, concise answers and his wide knowledge of the world of high technology. In 1991, John developed a radio show with a simple premise: open the phone lines to listeners and provide clear, practical advice. The innovative concept evolved into The Computer Guys radio program on WAMU 88.5 FM - National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. His expertise has earned him dozens of local and national television appearances: Dateline NBC, C-SPAN, PBS Nightly News, and ABC's Nightline.
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10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
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Break
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10:45 a.m.-Noon |
Concurrent Sessions |
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Management Track: Applications Development Process
This session will explore the applications development and project management process. Panelists will discuss procedures for developing applications, getting input from users, change-tracking methods, best practices, and working with contractors on applications development.
Moderator: Ann McLaughlin, Director, Legislative Information System, Office of the Controller General, Delaware
Speakers:
- Steve Eller, Computer Systems Manager, Legislative Services Division, Montana
- Alan Harling, Project Manager, Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc., Illinois
- Lisa Richards, Senior Engagement Manager, Propylon Inc., New York
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Technical Track: Voting Systems
State legislatures are exploring new options in voting systems and displays. This session will look at recent developments in voting systems.
Moderator: Paul Pinner, Information Systems Analyst, House of Delegates, Virginia
Speakers:
- Jason Montgomery, Information System Analyst III, Legislative Information System, Illinois
- Brian Hansen, Director of Information Technology, Alabama
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Noon-1:00 p.m. |
Lunch
****Sponsored by International Roll-Call Corporation ****
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1:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
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General Session: State Legislative Exhibits and Demonstrations
This session offers an exhibit-style, informal, close-up look at legislative applications in several states.
- Podcasting and RSS in Minnesota. Take your existing data and deliver it to users who want it when it's needed, immediately. Using RSS to deliver legislative status, member information (bill introduction, press releases, and audio), committee audio, schedules, and public information to users when the information is new.
—Mike Speiker, Web Manager, House of Representatives, Minnesota
- South Dakota's My Legislative Research. Check out South Dakota's MyLRC page and see how users can create custom bill tracking lists and sign up for email notifications. Other features include rules, statutes, committees, and member lists.
—Scott Darnall, Sr. Programmer Analyst, Legislative Research Council, South Dakota
- Washington's Floor Activity Report. This application was developed to present information about the status of bills during House and Senate floor sessions in real time. House and Senate workroom staffs enter actions as they occur on the floor. All participating clients are notified to refresh local data displays using multicast technology. The client application also includes a feature to allow members to create and store personal notes on each bill and amendment. Originally written in ASP and VB6 with a SQL Server backend, the application has recently been updated to ASP.NET.
—Fred McDowell, Technical Support Group Manager, Legislative Service Center, Washington
—Tom Puleo, Software Engineer, Legislative Service Center, Washington
- Washington's Selected Bill Tracking. This application provides custom bill tracking functionality and is available to legislative members, staff, liaisons, lobbyists and the general public. Features include the ability to create and manage custom bill lists in a folder tree structure. Custom reports can be generated and exported to Excel, Word, Access, or plain text. Custom lists can be shared with other system users. The application is written in ASP.NET accessing a SQL Server backend.
—Fred McDowell, Technical Support Group Manager, Legislative Service Center, Washington
—Tom Puleo, Software Engineer, Legislative Service Center, Washington
BlackBerry Enterprise Server: Pennsylvania House of Representatives. BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ (BES) software is designed to provide IT departments with simplified management and centralized control of wireless devices. Learn about the Pennsylvania House of Representatives' use of BES and its capabilities.
—Joe Lombardi, Network Administrator, House Democratic Information Technologies, Pennsylvania
Business Card CDs for Pennsylvania House Members. The Pennsylvania House is producing business card CDs for legislators. Contents include the Member's profile with a short video introduction and a Kids Site. These are handed out to constituents and in classrooms. Take a look at this innovative way of reaching out to constituents.
— Brian Koch, Programmer Technology Analyst, House Democratic Information Technologies, Pennsylvania
- NCSL and NALIT. Do you have questions about NCSL or NALIT? Get answers to your questions, find out about resources available on the NALIT and NCSL Web sites, subscribe to the NALIT listserv, and check to see if you are listed in the NALIT Directory. You can also find out about NCSL and its services for legislative staff.
—Gary Wieman, Chair, NALIT, and Pam Greenberg, NCSL Liaison to NALIT
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3:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. |
Closing Event: Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore
****Sponsored by Propylon****
Our closing event on Saturday evening, October 8, will begin at the Crazy Horse Memorial with an authentic Native American dinner. There will be time to explore the memorial’s museums and sculptor’s studio, then we’ll head to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. At dusk, we’ll watch the lighting of the gigantic sculpture of four great American presidents—Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.
Buses will depart from the front entrance of the hotel at 3:30 p.m. for the Crazy Horse Memorial, and from there to Mount Rushmore. Buses will return to the hotel in Rapid City at approximately 9:30 p.m.
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 NALIT Seminar Home
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2005 Professional Development Seminar Planning Committee
Co-Chairs:
- Lou Adamson, South Dakota
- Scott Darnall, South Dakota
Members:
- Nichole Dillon, Wyoming
- Duncan Goss, Vermont
- Andy Kraus, Kansas
- Paul Pinner, Virginia
- Janet Sullivan, Texas
- Gary Wieman, Nebraska
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