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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature requests a study and report on recommendations
11 for telegovernment.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ requests that legislative staff, working with the Utah Education and Telehealth
15 Network, study best practices and policies related to expanding the state's current
16 telegovernment services; and
17 ▸ requires a report with recommendations for telegovernment be delivered to the
18 Government Operations Interim Committee and the Public Utilities, Energy, and
19 Technology Interim Committee no later than November 30, 2020.
20 Special Clauses:
21 None
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23 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24 WHEREAS, engagement between constituents and their legislators is a core aspect of
25 representative democracy;
26 WHEREAS, providing online streaming of audio during legislative committee meetings
27 for over 12 years and audio and video during legislative floor time for over 16 years has
28 enhanced Utahns' access to the legislative process;
29 WHEREAS, the electronic posting of all audio, video, and legislative documents to the
30 Legislature's website has resulted in the website's recognition by the National Conference of
31 State Legislatures for the Online Democracy Award in 2005 and 2014 as a dependable resource
32 for legislators, constituents, and professionals;
33 WHEREAS, improving access to the legislative process through technology for
34 Arizona and Alaska citizens has proven beneficial in those states, by providing platforms for
35 electronic interaction between constituents and legislators during committee meetings and floor
36 time;
37 WHEREAS, according to the United States Census Bureau's 2017 data, 93.5% of
38 Utahns reside outside of the state's capital city, and 83.7% of all Utah households possess a
39 broadband Internet subscription; and
40 WHEREAS, expanding the Legislature's current telegovernment services through
41 teleconferencing and other technological means would ensure greater participation in the
42 legislative process for those residents living outside the capital city:
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature requests a joint study be
44 carried out by legislative information technology staff, Office of Legislative Research and
45 General Counsel staff, and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network to determine:
46 (1) network connectivity and bandwidth capacity related to the expansion of audio and
47 video teleconferencing;
48 (2) platforms for delivering the expanded services;
49 (3) whether a decentralized or centralized model for delivering the expanded services is
50 most appropriate;
51 (4) the level of local government involvement by engaging with the Utah Association
52 of Counties and the Utah League of Cities and Towns throughout the study;
53 (5) the amount of time and for which legislative meetings the expanded services will
54 be offered throughout the year;
55 (6) the applicability of the expanded services to those citizen legislators who live great
56 distances from the capital city;
57 (7) issues related to data privacy and security;
58 (8) best practices and policies related to accessibility issues due to disability;
59 (9) issues related to free speech;
60 (10) potential costs and staffing needs to implement the expanded services; and
61 (11) other relevant issues necessary in the consideration of expanding the Legislature's
62 telegovernment services.
63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the aforementioned study:
64 (1) focus on whether expanding access to the legislative process through technology
65 has implications regarding Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act, Title 63G,
66 Chapter 2, Government Records Access and Management Act, and Section 508 of the
67 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794d; and
68 (2) be reported to the Government Operations Interim Committee and the Public
69 Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee no later than November 30, 2020.