Hearings of the
House Committee on Rules
Legislating in the Information Age
General Counsel, Florida State House of Representatives
Good Morning. My name is Tom Tedcastle, and I am the General Counsel for the Florida House of Representatives and a former Director of the House Rules and Calendar Committee. I have been asked to share with you some of the ways we have used technology in the Florida House of Representatives to improve our operation and our communication with the public.
The Florida House of Representatives considers itself to be a pioneer in bringing automation to the Legislative process. In 1991, primarily in response to concerns that Members were being asked to vote on measures they had not had the opportunity to review, the Speaker directed that a computer screen be placed at each Member’s desk for display of amendments and research documents. We also used this opportunity to provide messaging capability in an attempt to reduce the amount of noise on the chamber floor and to encourage Members to remain in their seats. While we were successful in providing greater information to our Members, we were less successful in affecting the decorum on the floor.
The introduction of technology on the floor has required some significant changes in our rules and in the processes that are followed in the consideration of bills. Obviously, the computer screens would be of little benefit if Members were still able to offer handwritten amendments, which had been the practice for decades. Initially, we simply required that all amendments be drafted on the computer. While this was an easy change to accomplish technically, convincing Members to abandon tradition is never an easy thing to do politically. The leadership of the Florida House understood that changes would have to be incremental. However, we pleasantly discovered that once the initial change was made the next steps would be rather easy to implement. For example, we quickly learned that simply having amendments available on a computer at the time of their consideration was insufficient to give both the Members and the public adequate time to review them. By the second year of the project, the House Members, without any objection, had adopted an amendment filing deadline which required that all amendments be filed at least two hours prior to the daily session, which while an improvement, also proved inadequate. To provide greater information to the public, our rules now require that all amendments be filed by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding day. The Members have easily adapted to this change.
Providing electronic access to the Members of amendments has had the additional benefit of speeding up the process. Members frequently file multiple amendments to the same bill. Because the computer screens are set to default to the amendment presently under consideration, the Member presenting the amendment can discover quickly which of his or her several amendments is being considered. Prior to the implementation of automation, it was a regular occurrence to have to stop consideration of a bill while the Members tried to figure out which of their amendments was being considered or having to reconsider amendments when it was discovered that the amendment adopted was not the one explained. While this still happens occasionally, it happens much less frequently.
In addition to providing electronic access to amendments on the floor, they are also available in the Member’s district offices around the state, to certain legislative staff in their offices, to the media and in the lobby area of the Capitol. We will be upgrading our system during the interim to increase the ability to distribute the amendments. We anticipate being able to post all amendments to the Internet within the next couple of years to provide full public access.
Requiring an early filing deadline for amendments has also required earlier decision-making on the setting of a daily calendar and earlier distribution of the calendar. This has greatly increased the ability of the public to express opinions on legislation prior to its consideration - a change for which the Legislature has received considerable praise. It has also proven helpful to the sponsors of legislation by giving them more time to prepare for floor debate.
As I mentioned previously, we also provided messaging capabilities in an effort to reduce noise and to otherwise improve decorum on the floor. For two major reasons, this has proved to be less than successful. First, under Florida’s public records law, any message sent is archived and made available to the public. Obviously, in a political environment, many of the messages that might be sent regarding legislation are intended to be kept confidential. This cannot be done if they are sent electronically. The other major impediment is our chamber is designed with a press gallery elevated behind the Members’ desks. With binoculars, anything which appears on the screen is viewable. In fact, shortly after we installed the system, one of the Members of the press informed me that one of the Members was sending less than flattering comments about another Member’s intellect during debate. As a result, the Speaker directed that the system be changed to only permit certain “form” messages, which required the Members to communicate primarily once again by mouth.
Because the use of computers by Members of the Legislature was relatively rare when we first automated the House Chamber, we selected technology which required little or no knowledge or effort. Rather than requiring use of a keyboard, we selected touch screens for the amendment display system. By simply touching the screen, Members were able to generate a list of amendments by bill number on the screen and could select any of those amendments by touching it. If a particular amendment were not selected, the screen would default to the pending amendment or the one most recently considered. Members could also use the touch screen to select research documents which analyzed legislation on the Calendar for that day. The computers were turned on from a central location and were shut down automatically when the daily session was adjourned.
While some Members were reluctant to use the system, every Member of the House was using it by the end of the first session. We also noted that this user-friendly introduction to technology has resulted in most Members learning to use other programs in the daily operation of their office. Because the Members are not in Tallahassee most of the year, much of the communication between legislators is now done by electronic means. More than half of the Members submit their requests for legislative drafting via E-mail, and we are able to advise them of the progress on their requests in the same way. Unfortunately, are drafting system is still somewhat antiquated and does not lend itself to ease of communication - we must presently either mail or fax drafts to Members. We are presently exploring a new drafting system which will remove this impediment. Additionally, our present drafting system requires conversion of documents before legislation may be posted to the Internet. This generally results in a 12-hour delay. The new system will permit bills to be posted immediately upon filing. However, even with the present delay, the public can now get a copy of any piece of legislation at any of the 120 House district offices around the state, at libraries or in their own homes or offices. This has also permitted us to reduce the number of copies of bills which we must print by more than 75%.
The Legislature of Florida has established a WEB Page for public information known as “Online Sunshine.” It can be found at www.leg.state.fl.us. At this site, the public can access all calendars, journals, and bills. They can also learn what action has been taken on any bill and at the end of each session, a summary of important legislation is added. The site also lists the various committees and their membership. Information on each Member is provided, including biographical information and committee assignments. Additionally, information on all persons registered to lobby the Florida Legislature is included and their expenditure reports are also accessible. Most Members have also established web pages for communicating with their constituents and many conduct surveys over the Internet.
Although we were pioneers in this field, other states which have learned from us have had the opportunity to move to the forefront. We have had the opportunity to view some of the improvements they have instituted and are presently engaged in a complete review of our technology. Over the next couple of years, we anticipate moving to the front of the pack again.
As a first step, we are looking at new technology for the House chamber. The touch screens will soon be replaced with portable laptop computers which the Members will be able to use when the House is not in session. Notwithstanding our earlier concerns with the messaging system on the floor, Members will once again have full capability to communicate with each other while on the floor. They will also have the capability of communicating with their constituents and conducting research via the Internet while in the House chamber. This fall, our voting system will be replaced with LCD panels which will permit them to be used not only for voting purposes but also for display of legislation, graphs, amendments, redistricting maps, and other similar types of information. Working through the National Conference of State Legislatures, we are exploring the possibility of creating a more uniform drafting system which would increase the speed at which documents could be made available to the public and which would improve the ability of state legislatures to exchange documents and information.
Of course, with all the wonderful things technology can help us accomplish, it also poses a threat. With the ease of communication it provides, it can tend to isolate Members from the essential personal contact, both with the voters and with each other. In an age of instant decision-making capabilities, it is often difficult to explain the importance of the deliberative process. While our installation of fully operational laptop computers will permit the Members to communicate with constituents while in the House chamber, will it not also decrease the attentiveness of Members to debates on the floor? Will the ability of Members to conduct polls reduce their taking responsibility for using their own judgements? These concerns are heightened to some extent by the advent of term limits and the potential loss of institutional memory, but they are concerns even in those states which have no term limits. I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I think each of us can help to make sure that the answer is a resounding “NO.” It is clear, however, that avoiding technological advances is not the way to get that answer. Rather, as we embrace technology and devote resources to its implementation, we must also be prepared to devote ourselves to protecting the essence of representational democracy. This is not something we can out source; there is no off-the-shelf solution. It will require a commitment by every legislative body in the country, be it federal, state, or local. I believe the commitment is there.
Thank you for this opportunity to share with you what we have done in Florida. I would be happy to respond to any questions you may have about our processes and experiences.
Back to Testimony Page
Hearings of the
House Committee on Rules
Legislating in the Information Age
General Counsel, Florida State House of Representatives
Good Morning. My name is Tom Tedcastle, and I am the General Counsel for the Florida House of Representatives and a former Director of the House Rules and Calendar Committee. I have been asked to share with you some of the ways we have used technology in the Florida House of Representatives to improve our operation and our communication with the public.
The Florida House of Representatives considers itself to be a pioneer in bringing automation to the Legislative process. In 1991, primarily in response to concerns that Members were being asked to vote on measures they had not had the opportunity to review, the Speaker directed that a computer screen be placed at each Member’s desk for display of amendments and research documents. We also used this opportunity to provide messaging capability in an attempt to reduce the amount of noise on the chamber floor and to encourage Members to remain in their seats. While we were successful in providing greater information to our Members, we were less successful in affecting the decorum on the floor.
The introduction of technology on the floor has required some significant changes in our rules and in the processes that are followed in the consideration of bills. Obviously, the computer screens would be of little benefit if Members were still able to offer handwritten amendments, which had been the practice for decades. Initially, we simply required that all amendments be drafted on the computer. While this was an easy change to accomplish technically, convincing Members to abandon tradition is never an easy thing to do politically. The leadership of the Florida House understood that changes would have to be incremental. However, we pleasantly discovered that once the initial change was made the next steps would be rather easy to implement. For example, we quickly learned that simply having amendments available on a computer at the time of their consideration was insufficient to give both the Members and the public adequate time to review them. By the second year of the project, the House Members, without any objection, had adopted an amendment filing deadline which required that all amendments be filed at least two hours prior to the daily session, which while an improvement, also proved inadequate. To provide greater information to the public, our rules now require that all amendments be filed by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding day. The Members have easily adapted to this change.
Providing electronic access to the Members of amendments has had the additional benefit of speeding up the process. Members frequently file multiple amendments to the same bill. Because the computer screens are set to default to the amendment presently under consideration, the Member presenting the amendment can discover quickly which of his or her several amendments is being considered. Prior to the implementation of automation, it was a regular occurrence to have to stop consideration of a bill while the Members tried to figure out which of their amendments was being considered or having to reconsider amendments when it was discovered that the amendment adopted was not the one explained. While this still happens occasionally, it happens much less frequently.
In addition to providing electronic access to amendments on the floor, they are also available in the Member’s district offices around the state, to certain legislative staff in their offices, to the media and in the lobby area of the Capitol. We will be upgrading our system during the interim to increase the ability to distribute the amendments. We anticipate being able to post all amendments to the Internet within the next couple of years to provide full public access.
Requiring an early filing deadline for amendments has also required earlier decision-making on the setting of a daily calendar and earlier distribution of the calendar. This has greatly increased the ability of the public to express opinions on legislation prior to its consideration - a change for which the Legislature has received considerable praise. It has also proven helpful to the sponsors of legislation by giving them more time to prepare for floor debate.
As I mentioned previously, we also provided messaging capabilities in an effort to reduce noise and to otherwise improve decorum on the floor. For two major reasons, this has proved to be less than successful. First, under Florida’s public records law, any message sent is archived and made available to the public. Obviously, in a political environment, many of the messages that might be sent regarding legislation are intended to be kept confidential. This cannot be done if they are sent electronically. The other major impediment is our chamber is designed with a press gallery elevated behind the Members’ desks. With binoculars, anything which appears on the screen is viewable. In fact, shortly after we installed the system, one of the Members of the press informed me that one of the Members was sending less than flattering comments about another Member’s intellect during debate. As a result, the Speaker directed that the system be changed to only permit certain “form” messages, which required the Members to communicate primarily once again by mouth.
Because the use of computers by Members of the Legislature was relatively rare when we first automated the House Chamber, we selected technology which required little or no knowledge or effort. Rather than requiring use of a keyboard, we selected touch screens for the amendment display system. By simply touching the screen, Members were able to generate a list of amendments by bill number on the screen and could select any of those amendments by touching it. If a particular amendment were not selected, the screen would default to the pending amendment or the one most recently considered. Members could also use the touch screen to select research documents which analyzed legislation on the Calendar for that day. The computers were turned on from a central location and were shut down automatically when the daily session was adjourned.
While some Members were reluctant to use the system, every Member of the House was using it by the end of the first session. We also noted that this user-friendly introduction to technology has resulted in most Members learning to use other programs in the daily operation of their office. Because the Members are not in Tallahassee most of the year, much of the communication between legislators is now done by electronic means. More than half of the Members submit their requests for legislative drafting via E-mail, and we are able to advise them of the progress on their requests in the same way. Unfortunately, are drafting system is still somewhat antiquated and does not lend itself to ease of communication - we must presently either mail or fax drafts to Members. We are presently exploring a new drafting system which will remove this impediment. Additionally, our present drafting system requires conversion of documents before legislation may be posted to the Internet. This generally results in a 12-hour delay. The new system will permit bills to be posted immediately upon filing. However, even with the present delay, the public can now get a copy of any piece of legislation at any of the 120 House district offices around the state, at libraries or in their own homes or offices. This has also permitted us to reduce the number of copies of bills which we must print by more than 75%.
The Legislature of Florida has established a WEB Page for public information known as “Online Sunshine.” It can be found at www.leg.state.fl.us. At this site, the public can access all calendars, journals, and bills. They can also learn what action has been taken on any bill and at the end of each session, a summary of important legislation is added. The site also lists the various committees and their membership. Information on each Member is provided, including biographical information and committee assignments. Additionally, information on all persons registered to lobby the Florida Legislature is included and their expenditure reports are also accessible. Most Members have also established web pages for communicating with their constituents and many conduct surveys over the Internet.
Although we were pioneers in this field, other states which have learned from us have had the opportunity to move to the forefront. We have had the opportunity to view some of the improvements they have instituted and are presently engaged in a complete review of our technology. Over the next couple of years, we anticipate moving to the front of the pack again.
As a first step, we are looking at new technology for the House chamber. The touch screens will soon be replaced with portable laptop computers which the Members will be able to use when the House is not in session. Notwithstanding our earlier concerns with the messaging system on the floor, Members will once again have full capability to communicate with each other while on the floor. They will also have the capability of communicating with their constituents and conducting research via the Internet while in the House chamber. This fall, our voting system will be replaced with LCD panels which will permit them to be used not only for voting purposes but also for display of legislation, graphs, amendments, redistricting maps, and other similar types of information. Working through the National Conference of State Legislatures, we are exploring the possibility of creating a more uniform drafting system which would increase the speed at which documents could be made available to the public and which would improve the ability of state legislatures to exchange documents and information.
Of course, with all the wonderful things technology can help us accomplish, it also poses a threat. With the ease of communication it provides, it can tend to isolate Members from the essential personal contact, both with the voters and with each other. In an age of instant decision-making capabilities, it is often difficult to explain the importance of the deliberative process. While our installation of fully operational laptop computers will permit the Members to communicate with constituents while in the House chamber, will it not also decrease the attentiveness of Members to debates on the floor? Will the ability of Members to conduct polls reduce their taking responsibility for using their own judgements? These concerns are heightened to some extent by the advent of term limits and the potential loss of institutional memory, but they are concerns even in those states which have no term limits. I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I think each of us can help to make sure that the answer is a resounding “NO.” It is clear, however, that avoiding technological advances is not the way to get that answer. Rather, as we embrace technology and devote resources to its implementation, we must also be prepared to devote ourselves to protecting the essence of representational democracy. This is not something we can out source; there is no off-the-shelf solution. It will require a commitment by every legislative body in the country, be it federal, state, or local. I believe the commitment is there.
Thank you for this opportunity to share with you what we have done in Florida. I would be happy to respond to any questions you may have about our processes and experiences.
Back to Testimony Page
Hearings of the
House Committee on Rules
Legislating in the Information Age
General Counsel, Florida State House of Representatives
Good Morning. My name is Tom Tedcastle, and I am the General Counsel for the Florida House of Representatives and a former Director of the House Rules and Calendar Committee. I have been asked to share with you some of the ways we have used technology in the Florida House of Representatives to improve our operation and our communication with the public.
The Florida House of Representatives considers itself to be a pioneer in bringing automation to the Legislative process. In 1991, primarily in response to concerns that Members were being asked to vote on measures they had not had the opportunity to review, the Speaker directed that a computer screen be placed at each Member’s desk for display of amendments and research documents. We also used this opportunity to provide messaging capability in an attempt to reduce the amount of noise on the chamber floor and to encourage Members to remain in their seats. While we were successful in providing greater information to our Members, we were less successful in affecting the decorum on the floor.
The introduction of technology on the floor has required some significant changes in our rules and in the processes that are followed in the consideration of bills. Obviously, the computer screens would be of little benefit if Members were still able to offer handwritten amendments, which had been the practice for decades. Initially, we simply required that all amendments be drafted on the computer. While this was an easy change to accomplish technically, convincing Members to abandon tradition is never an easy thing to do politically. The leadership of the Florida House understood that changes would have to be incremental. However, we pleasantly discovered that once the initial change was made the next steps would be rather easy to implement. For example, we quickly learned that simply having amendments available on a computer at the time of their consideration was insufficient to give both the Members and the public adequate time to review them. By the second year of the project, the House Members, without any objection, had adopted an amendment filing deadline which required that all amendments be filed at least two hours prior to the daily session, which while an improvement, also proved inadequate. To provide greater information to the public, our rules now require that all amendments be filed by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding day. The Members have easily adapted to this change.
Providing electronic access to the Members of amendments has had the additional benefit of speeding up the process. Members frequently file multiple amendments to the same bill. Because the computer screens are set to default to the amendment presently under consideration, the Member presenting the amendment can discover quickly which of his or her several amendments is being considered. Prior to the implementation of automation, it was a regular occurrence to have to stop consideration of a bill while the Members tried to figure out which of their amendments was being considered or having to reconsider amendments when it was discovered that the amendment adopted was not the one explained. While this still happens occasionally, it happens much less frequently.
In addition to providing electronic access to amendments on the floor, they are also available in the Member’s district offices around the state, to certain legislative staff in their offices, to the media and in the lobby area of the Capitol. We will be upgrading our system during the interim to increase the ability to distribute the amendments. We anticipate being able to post all amendments to the Internet within the next couple of years to provide full public access.
Requiring an early filing deadline for amendments has also required earlier decision-making on the setting of a daily calendar and earlier distribution of the calendar. This has greatly increased the ability of the public to express opinions on legislation prior to its consideration - a change for which the Legislature has received considerable praise. It has also proven helpful to the sponsors of legislation by giving them more time to prepare for floor debate.
As I mentioned previously, we also provided messaging capabilities in an effort to reduce noise and to otherwise improve decorum on the floor. For two major reasons, this has proved to be less than successful. First, under Florida’s public records law, any message sent is archived and made available to the public. Obviously, in a political environment, many of the messages that might be sent regarding legislation are intended to be kept confidential. This cannot be done if they are sent electronically. The other major impediment is our chamber is designed with a press gallery elevated behind the Members’ desks. With binoculars, anything which appears on the screen is viewable. In fact, shortly after we installed the system, one of the Members of the press informed me that one of the Members was sending less than flattering comments about another Member’s intellect during debate. As a result, the Speaker directed that the system be changed to only permit certain “form” messages, which required the Members to communicate primarily once again by mouth.
Because the use of computers by Members of the Legislature was relatively rare when we first automated the House Chamber, we selected technology which required little or no knowledge or effort. Rather than requiring use of a keyboard, we selected touch screens for the amendment display system. By simply touching the screen, Members were able to generate a list of amendments by bill number on the screen and could select any of those amendments by touching it. If a particular amendment were not selected, the screen would default to the pending amendment or the one most recently considered. Members could also use the touch screen to select research documents which analyzed legislation on the Calendar for that day. The computers were turned on from a central location and were shut down automatically when the daily session was adjourned.
While some Members were reluctant to use the system, every Member of the House was using it by the end of the first session. We also noted that this user-friendly introduction to technology has resulted in most Members learning to use other programs in the daily operation of their office. Because the Members are not in Tallahassee most of the year, much of the communication between legislators is now done by electronic means. More than half of the Members submit their requests for legislative drafting via E-mail, and we are able to advise them of the progress on their requests in the same way. Unfortunately, are drafting system is still somewhat antiquated and does not lend itself to ease of communication - we must presently either mail or fax drafts to Members. We are presently exploring a new drafting system which will remove this impediment. Additionally, our present drafting system requires conversion of documents before legislation may be posted to the Internet. This generally results in a 12-hour delay. The new system will permit bills to be posted immediately upon filing. However, even with the present delay, the public can now get a copy of any piece of legislation at any of the 120 House district offices around the state, at libraries or in their own homes or offices. This has also permitted us to reduce the number of copies of bills which we must print by more than 75%.
The Legislature of Florida has established a WEB Page for public information known as “Online Sunshine.” It can be found at www.leg.state.fl.us. At this site, the public can access all calendars, journals, and bills. They can also learn what action has been taken on any bill and at the end of each session, a summary of important legislation is added. The site also lists the various committees and their membership. Information on each Member is provided, including biographical information and committee assignments. Additionally, information on all persons registered to lobby the Florida Legislature is included and their expenditure reports are also accessible. Most Members have also established web pages for communicating with their constituents and many conduct surveys over the Internet.
Although we were pioneers in this field, other states which have learned from us have had the opportunity to move to the forefront. We have had the opportunity to view some of the improvements they have instituted and are presently engaged in a complete review of our technology. Over the next couple of years, we anticipate moving to the front of the pack again.
As a first step, we are looking at new technology for the House chamber. The touch screens will soon be replaced with portable laptop computers which the Members will be able to use when the House is not in session. Notwithstanding our earlier concerns with the messaging system on the floor, Members will once again have full capability to communicate with each other while on the floor. They will also have the capability of communicating with their constituents and conducting research via the Internet while in the House chamber. This fall, our voting system will be replaced with LCD panels which will permit them to be used not only for voting purposes but also for display of legislation, graphs, amendments, redistricting maps, and other similar types of information. Working through the National Conference of State Legislatures, we are exploring the possibility of creating a more uniform drafting system which would increase the speed at which documents could be made available to the public and which would improve the ability of state legislatures to exchange documents and information.
Of course, with all the wonderful things technology can help us accomplish, it also poses a threat. With the ease of communication it provides, it can tend to isolate Members from the essential personal contact, both with the voters and with each other. In an age of instant decision-making capabilities, it is often difficult to explain the importance of the deliberative process. While our installation of fully operational laptop computers will permit the Members to communicate with constituents while in the House chamber, will it not also decrease the attentiveness of Members to debates on the floor? Will the ability of Members to conduct polls reduce their taking responsibility for using their own judgements? These concerns are heightened to some extent by the advent of term limits and the potential loss of institutional memory, but they are concerns even in those states which have no term limits. I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I think each of us can help to make sure that the answer is a resounding “NO.” It is clear, however, that avoiding technological advances is not the way to get that answer. Rather, as we embrace technology and devote resources to its implementation, we must also be prepared to devote ourselves to protecting the essence of representational democracy. This is not something we can out source; there is no off-the-shelf solution. It will require a commitment by every legislative body in the country, be it federal, state, or local. I believe the commitment is there.
Thank you for this opportunity to share with you what we have done in Florida. I would be happy to respond to any questions you may have about our processes and experiences.
