ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 2, 1997 TAG: 9701020013
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Computer Bits
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
LAST YEAR, the state's computer whizzes debuted an impressive system that lets Virginians track bills on line.
If you want to find out what's going on in the General Assembly, the last place you'd want to be is in the gallery.
Oh, maybe once in a while you might witness a fiery debate - such as last January, when House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Vinton and Republican Del. Morgan Griffith of Salem tangled over whether Republicans were getting a fair shake in their committee assignments.
But the real action - once the state legislature comes back into session Wednesday for a two-month run - is in the committee rooms. That's where bills can be strangled to death out of sight, or controversial measures quietly kept alive while proponents angle for support.
But just try to keep up with all the maneuvering, and you're likely to wind up dizzy from trying to run from one end of Capitol Square to the other. Sometimes, the best place to be to keep up on things is in Chicken's, the Capitol's snack bar and unofficial center for news, rumor and gossip.
Or this year, you might try the General Assembly's Web site on the Internet.
You'll miss out on the rumor and gossip, to be sure, but it may be the most reliable way to keep track of where bills are in the legislative sausage grinder.
Last year, the state's Department of Legislative Automated Services - the computer wizards who run the legislature's Web site - debuted an impressive system that allows Virginians to track bills on line.
The only drawback then was that the legislature's site was updated only every 24 hours - an eternity when the General Assembly revs up into high speed and the life cycle of a bill can be measured in hours.
This year, though, the department is promising "real-time" updates on all floor votes and committee action. In plain English, that means the results will be posted on the Net as soon as the vote is taken.
The legislature's Web site is extraordinarily easy for use. Say you want to find out what bills your representative has introduced. Just click on his name and you'll get a list of bill numbers and titles. If you want to find out their status, just click again.
Or suppose you have a particular subject you're interested in, and want to find out what bills have been introduced on that topic. The system allows you to search by topic. Or by bill number, if you happen to have that already.
The General Assembly's home page also posts weekly schedules of committee meetings, and provides links to legislators' e-mail addresses, provided they have one. Only five in Western Virginia have e-mail accounts, according to the Web site:
* Del. Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County, is: WArmstrong@house.state.va.us
* Del. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, is: CDeeds@house.state.va.us
* State Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, is: SNewman@inmind.com
* Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg, is: JShuler@house.state.va.us
* Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke, is: CWoodrum@house.state.va.us
Before you pepper the politicians with e-mail, though, remember that state legislators usually have only one aide on staff to deal with constituent requests.
The General Assembly's Web site is part of a larger effort to put other branches of state government on line.
In late November, Gov. George Allen went on line with his own home page, which effectively doubles as a starting point for most of the executive branch agencies. Here you'll find press releases (boring), an address book of state offices with phone numbers and fax numbers (useful), and a handy e-mail form (curious).
In keeping with this era of the politics of identity, Allen's e-mail form provides 15 ways for correspondents to identify themselves - from "private citizen" to "political advocate" to "young person" to "small business owner or employee."
Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and Attorney General Jim Gilmore have had home pages of their own for some time now. Interestingly, their pages are almost perfect reflections of the two men who are expected to square off for the governorship in November.
Gilmore's site is strictly focused on law enforcement and legal issues, just as Gilmore himself is methodical and intense. On his site you can read about "Ways to Protect Yourself Against Consumer Fraud" or sign up your civic group for a speaker from the attorney general's office.
By contrast, Beyer's site is a smorgasbord of links, just as Beyer himself is known for a wide range of personal interests. Here you can find the state budget, as well as student artwork from Riner Elementary School in Montgomery County, Virginia Tech trivia, a tour of the state's Civil War battlegrounds, even the schedule for Richmond's minor-league baseball team.
Beyer spokeswoman Page Boinest points out that Beyer - a car dealer by trade - is a true believer in the power of commerce over the Internet. Since his Falls Church car dealership went on line with its own Web site, he has expanded his customer base nationwide, she says. "He's talked about the parts he's sold and the business he's gained, just from people hitting the page."
the following is for the websites graphic
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
http://legis.state.va.us
GOV. GEORGE ALLEN
http://www.state.va.us/governor/gov.htm
LT. GOV. DON BEYER
http://www.state.va.us/ltgov/beyer.htm
ATTORNEY GENERAL JIM GILMORE
http://www.state.va.us/oag/main.htm
LENGTH: Long : 106 linesby CNB