BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                     AB 1624


Date of Hearing:  April 19, 1993


                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES

                            John Burton, Chair


             AB 1624 (Bowen) - As Introduced:  March 4, 1993




                                SUBJECT

Legislature: legislative information: access by computer modem.


DIGEST

Existing law explicitly requires the Legislature to provide notice of 
šmeetings and to open proceedings to the public.  The Legislative Open 
šRecords Act (Govt. Code Sec. 9070, et seq.) and the Open Meetings Act of 
š1989 (Govt. Code Sec. 9027, et seq.) both serve to provide the public with 
šextensive knowledge of the process. 

Currently, the public has access to all bills and Legislative documents 
šthrough the Capitol bill room.  Bill texts, amendments, analyses and 
šrelated information is also available for a fee through several computer 
šinformation services, through various law book companies, and newspapers.

This bill:

1.  Requires the Joint Rules Committee to make legislative information 
š     available in electronic form on a daily basis to the State Library; 
    and 

2.  Requires the Library to create a distribution process to the public 
š    through the use of computer modems.


FISCAL EFFECT 

All costs of creating the information are now borne by the Legislature.  
šThe cost of preparing this information for wide public distribution is 
šunknown but potentially enormous. 



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COMMENTS

In the absence of studies to provide insights into the public's computer 
šneeds and abilities, it is not known what format will best serve the 
špublic.  Before this information is distributed, a means must be devised to 
šorganize it in a useful manner.  Further, the legislature must ensure that 
šsubstantive changes to the information derived from our data do not occur. 


Additionally, the public has an interest in more legislative information 
šthan is contained in the scope of this bill.  For example, the television 
šprojects and broadcast of floor and committee sessions are integral parts 
šof the legislative process.  Without detailed knowledge of the public's 
šneeds and the means of satisfying them, any move to make the information 
šavailable may be predestined to fail and may be expensive.



































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