Legislators' Computers - Background Information

99215 Prepared by the North Dakota Legislative Council staff for the Legislator Computer Replacement Task Force January 2008 LEGISLATORS' COMPUTERS - BACKGROUND INFORMATION LEGISLATOR'S AUTOMATED 1991-92 Interim and 1993 Legislative Session WORK STATION (LAWS) During the 1991-92 interim, the Legislative SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT Management Committee authorized expansion of the LAWS system to 50 workstations--33 in the House 1985-86 Interim and 1987 Legislative Session and 17 in the Senate--as well as a terminal and printer During the 1985-86 interim, the Legislative in each of the minority and majority leaders' offices. Procedure and Arrangements Committee (now known as the Legislative Management Committee) approved 1993-94 Interim and 1995 Legislative Session a proposal with respect to the possibility of replacing During the 1993-94 interim, the Legislative legislators' bill racks with personal computer terminals. Management Committee authorized conversion of the Representatives of IBM spent a day in each chamber LAWS system to a personal computer-based system during the 1987 legislative session, interviewed rather than a host computer-based system. The legislators, and sat with legislators on the floor to conversion was primarily to allow legislators to view determine how legislators used bill racks to place complex tables contained within statements of notes on bills, note votes taken, add personal notes, purpose of amendment, to increase the number of and place telephone messages with the bills. Based versions of a bill available for viewing, to increase on this review, plans were developed for presentation printer capabilities, to improve spreadsheet and word to the committee during the 1987-88 interim. processing software, and to increase legislators' access to information outside the Senate and House 1987-88 Interim and 1989 Legislative Session chambers. During the 1987-88 interim, the Legislative The committee maintained the LAWS system Procedure and Arrangements Committee approved access at the same levels as the 1993 legislative plans for the development of a legislative information session--50 workstations--so as to conserve system (the Legislator's Automated Work Station resources to defray the costs for converting to a (LAWS) system) on a pilot project basis for the personal computer-based system. The committee 1989 legislative session. The proposal was for an also approved a LAWS PC Pilot Project for the IBM Personal System/2 terminal to be provided to four 1995 legislative session, under which four members of legislators in each chamber during the 1989 legislative the Legislative Management Committee--two from session--the assistant leaders in each chamber and each house, one from each caucus--received another legislator from each party in each chamber. notebook-style personal computers for use during the The system contained four basic components--bill legislative session and the interim to assess the status, committee hearings, daily calendar, and feasibility and desirability of making notebook personal services (which included telephone computers available to legislators and converting the messages received by the telephone attendants). LAWS system to a personal computer-based system. During the 1995 legislative session, the legislative 1989-90 Interim and 1991 Legislative Session leadership reviewed three proposals for converting to During the 1989-90 interim, the Legislative a personal computer-based environment. Two Management Committee approved a proposal to nationally recognized consultants proposed enhance the LAWS system to allow the full text of a installation of a new system at a cost ranging from bill page to be displayed on one screen, to access $2.3 million to $3.7 million. Rather than a new individual roll call votes from almost every screen, to system, IBM proposed using the existing mainframe display the current text of measures being considered systems but installing graphical user interface (GUI) on the calendar through use of the voting system by software, installing a wireless network for legislators to pressing a "hot" key, to allow computer searches of use notebook computers anywhere within the the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC), to allow use legislative wing, installing a cable network for use by of electronic mail to send messages to other personnel placing information in the system, and legislators with workstations, and to store telephone providing notebook-style personal computers to messages in caller sequence. The committee legislators. The estimated cost of the IBM proposal determined the LAWS system should be continued on ranged from $1.2 million to $1.5 million. The a controlled-growth basis, with usage voluntary, and Legislative Assembly made available $550,644. authorized expansion of the system to 24 workstations--16 in the House and 8 in the 1995-96 Interim and 1997 Legislative Session Senate--for the 1991 legislative session. During the 1995-96 interim, the Legislative Management Committee authorized installation of GUI software to allow use of the mainframe system through features available on personal computers. 99215 2 January 2008 This allowed the bill status system and the LAWS credit value. After surveying legislators as to the level system to remain as mainframe systems, although the of interest in acquiring the ThinkPad computers, the information would appear as if it were personal committee determined that the committee should computer applications. transfer the computers to the Office of Management After reviewing information and comparing features and Budget for transfer to state agencies, political of a wireless local area network to a wired local area subdivisions, and certain nonprofit organizations network, the committee approved the installation of a under NDCC Section 54-44-04.6 relating to state wired local area network within the legislative surplus property. chambers and other appropriate areas in the The decision to replace the IBM ThinkPad was legislative wing. With respect to wiring committee made as part of a plan to provide every legislator with rooms for computer use by legislators, committee a computer that would be able to take advantage of members were concerned over the distracting effect the 1997-98 enhancements to the LAWS system, e.g., of members keying on computers rather than paying split screen display of amendments and text of bills attention to individuals who were testifying before the and planned software upgrades for the next four committee. years. Newer computers also allowed more The majority leaders directed, and the Legislative efficiencies due to Pentium processor speed and Management Committee confirmed, the acquisition of greater disk capacity. The computers had either 60 IBM ThinkPad 755CD notebook-style personal Pentium 166MMXS or Pentium II 233 processors. computers. During the latter part of the interim, an Each computer had 48 megabytes of RAM and the additional 15 IBM ThinkPad 755ED notebook-style hard drive was either 2 or 4 gigabytes. The display personal computers were acquired through a lease was 13.3 inches and the operating system was arrangement. The resulting 75 computers allowed Windows 95. All computers had internal CD-ROM distributions to slightly over 50 percent of the drives. legislators. During the 1999 legislative session, 132 members took advantage of accessing the LAWS system. 1997-98 Interim and 1999 Legislative Session During the 1997-98 interim, the Legislative 2001-02 Interim and 2003 Legislative Session Management Committee reviewed the feasibility of The Legislative Management Committee reviewed distributing personal computers to all legislators. The a four-year replacement schedule for notebook-style committee reviewed information on IBM, Compaq, computers for legislators. Some of the computers Dell, Gateway, Micron, and Toshiba notebook-style used by legislators had been in service for four to five computers that were capable of operating current years. Warranties on 60 computers expired before legislative systems and software as well as software the 2001 legislative session and the warranties on with contemplated changes for the next four years. 87 computers expired in June 2001. The Gateway The committee selected the Gateway Solo 9100. computers were experiencing various hardware Sixty Gateway computers were purchased for problems, such as hard drive and battery failures, distribution to legislators. inventory of replacement parts was becoming difficult The committee also reviewed a schedule for use to maintain, and a timelag of six weeks to obtain parts and acquisition of notebook-style computers. The was becoming common. A number of computers committee approved the replacement of were operable only because the Legislative Council 3 IBM ThinkPad 360C computers, replacement of staff had scavenged other computers for parts. 60 IBM ThinkPad 755CD computers, and Newer software was not compatible with the reassignment of 15 IBM ThinkPad 760ED computers Windows 95 operating system, which was no longer to legislators, desk forces, and legislative interns. supported by Microsoft. For most legislative During the latter part of the interim, the committee purposes, the limits on the Gateway computers had approved the acquisition of 87 notebook-style been reached as far as further software development computers which allowed each legislator to receive a and upgrade. notebook-style computer. In this phase, the The committee reviewed requirements for the committee reviewed information on notebook-style

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