House File 2087 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  SCHICKEL


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing for a feasibility study of conducting floor
  2    debate and other legislative business via the internet.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5072HH 82
  5 jp/rj/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  INTERNET LEGISLATIVE SESSION == FEASIBILITY
  1  2 STUDY.
  1  3    1.  The legislative services agency, with the assistance of
  1  4 the secretary of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of
  1  5 representatives, and the department of administrative services
  1  6 and other appropriate state agencies, shall complete a
  1  7 feasibility study of holding a one=day legislative session
  1  8 during the 2009 regular legislative session utilizing the
  1  9 internet as the primary means for members of the general
  1 10 assembly to participate in the session.
  1 11    2.  The options addressed in the feasibility study shall
  1 12 include but are not limited to all of the following:
  1 13    a.  Legal requirements or impediments under the
  1 14 Constitution of the State of Iowa or the Code of Iowa
  1 15 regarding the general assembly's performance of its
  1 16 constitutional lawmaking authority, including but not limited
  1 17 to article III, sections 10 and 13 of the Constitution of the
  1 18 State of Iowa and section 2.1 of the Code of Iowa.
  1 19    b.  Holding floor debate and voting on legislation in both
  1 20 the senate and house of representatives via the internet.
  1 21    c.  Provision for the members of the general assembly to
  1 22 participate via the internet from their home districts.
  1 23    d.  Providing real=time voice and image access to committee
  1 24 and subcommittee meetings, debate, and voting.
  1 25    e.  Enabling public observation of testimony, public
  1 26 hearings, and committee and floor deliberations via the
  1 27 internet.
  1 28    f.  Providing a means for voice, recorded, and unrecorded
  1 29 voting to be observed via the internet.
  1 30    g.  Identifying considerations to be addressed for the
  1 31 session to conduct actual business or to be a demonstration.
  1 32    h.  Identifying actual and projected costs and cost savings
  1 33 that may be realized if the internet would be used on a
  1 34 permanent basis to conduct legislative business.
  1 35    3.  The legislative services agency shall report to the
  2  1 governor and general assembly on or before December 1, 2008,
  2  2 outlining the findings of the feasibility study, including
  2  3 identifying the advantages and disadvantages of the options
  2  4 presented, potential costs and cost savings, and potential
  2  5 issues to be addressed if internet access to legislative
  2  6 deliberations would be provided on a permanent basis.
  2  7                           EXPLANATION
  2  8    This bill provides for a feasibility study of the legality
  2  9 and practicality of conducting a one=day session of floor
  2 10 debate and other legislative business via the internet.  The
  2 11 study is required to be conducted by the legislative services
  2 12 agency with the cooperation of the secretary of the senate,
  2 13 chief clerk of the house of representatives, and the
  2 14 department of administrative services.
  2 15    Specific options to be addressed are identified, including
  2 16 providing for the capacity on a permanent basis and addressing
  2 17 legal requirements under the Iowa Constitution and Iowa law
  2 18 involving voting and the physical meeting location, and the
  2 19 agency is required to submit a report to the governor and
  2 20 general assembly on or before December 1, 2008.
  2 21 LSB 5072HH 82
  2 22 jp/rj/8