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Show , Standard-Examiner LEGISLATURE Thursday Feb. 13, 1992 7C ‘Senator wants computers for Legislature $By LISA CARRICABURU §Standard Examuner staff UTAH ; SALT LAKE CITY — For Utah LEGISLATURE *iawmakers, computers usually are poonsidered items that improve the pemiciency of other people. _Buf,that may change if Sen. MilHie Peterson, D-West Valley City, has her way. § Peterson has earned legislative support for a resolution encouraging funding to equip legislators ywith computers. ® Her resolution is part of a movement to modernize the way the ; Legislature does business. ® When Peterson, a first-term law- & maker, ‘arrived at the Legislature in ™1991, she said she was shocked to =see how little modern technology | was available to her and her colleagues. | “I find it ironic that we spend ; millions putting computers in ; schools, yet don’t even take advan- Peterson said computerization would save on the enormous cost of paper used by the Legislature each year, little of which is recovered through recycling. It would also save significant time for those who must prepare and printbill re- where down the road,” she said. As Peterson's measure makes its way through the Legislature — it was approved by the Senate on Wednesday and now gees to the House — a legislative management committee is studying ways to modernize the body’s operation. Mark Allred, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel re- improve our efficiency and cut down on waste is overwhelming.” Carole Peterson, House chief to go on-line with computers, but the few computer terminals in 00 place are leftovers from a 1986 demonstration project. “The company that put them there gave them to us simply be- $719800°0 cause of the work it would have required to take them out,” she said, adding that the computers have fewcapabilities. ernor or the legislative fiscal ana- both houses are discussing ways of providing computer access for lawmakers and the public, altho. gh “most of it is just talk at this point.” Allred said other states have installed systems that give lawmakers access to mainframe computers so they can read existing statutes and follow along as amendments and lyst. She also acknowledges that re- changes are made. Peterson sees lawmakers one day quests for such funding in a difficult budgeting year may not be paper atop their desks by requiring ture will one day be a paperless environment,” Steele said. “Until then, Ili just keep doing what I can to demonstrate what technology visions and distribute copies ofall Peterson acknowledges that her request would cost between $1,500 and $3,000 per lawmaker — an amount that is not allocated in budget proposals byeither the gov- being able to get rid of the stacks of tage of the technologyourselves,” heeded. she said. “A little modernization would sure make our lives a heck of a Jot easier.” But, “At least we'll start people talking about this and hopefully get lobbyists to enter their information into a database that could be accessed by lawmakers. some things accomplished some- “The potential we have here to SELLING OUT-Owr Best to own sewing machines and sergers. OUT THEY GO! Still ia box Singers with professional sttch-heavy duty Sele Seay © dee ADE TO SELL FOR clerk, said the House floor is wired search and systems analyst, said changes to legislators. Special! FRIDAY & SATURDAY ONLY PUBLIC SALE NOW WHILE THEY LAST CASH OR $10 PER MONTH OAC - RATED #1-Model #625 - 4)... bahy lock SERGERS ® 4-3-2 Combination @ New still in box ® Versatility at its BEST She said the Senate floor isn’t set up yet to handle computers. Until changes are made, however, * 7.5 M Wide computer use by lawmakers will be * 4 Thread Flatiock Decorative Seaming confined to that done by legislators like Sen. David Steele, R-West Point, who uses his own laptop computer to track legislation and do correspondance. “I honestly believe the Legisla- Gathering © 3-thread seaming on knits FACTORY LIST—$588 CASH OR $10 NOW WHILE THEY LAST 39988 pe, Month CAC RIVERDALE SEWING SALE & SERVICE Open Friday & Saturday Onty # (Across trom Petersen Motors) 939 W. Riverdale Rd. @ Ogden 393-8213 can do.” Capitol makeseffort to recycle tons of paper | About 10 million sheets used during each session ee a ne A klNE A TREN A OE A HO By ANN WERNER He said about 75 percent of the paper generated by the printing ofSALT LAKE CITY — Lawmak- fice last year was recycled. ers draft bills by the score. The The legislative printing office is Utah Legislature publishes daily responsible for printing 450 copies bill status reports. Newspapersre- of each bill, 500 copies of the daily port the legislative goings-on and journals for both the Senate and then deliver the finished products. House, and 500 copies of the daily While these legislative events status reports for both houses, mean weeks of work and debate for printer Kirk Broadhead said. many Utahns, they also mean the To aid in environmental-preseruse of tons of paper — approxi- vation efforts, the printing office mately 10 million sheets of paper prints material on both sides of a during the 1991 legislative session, sheet of paper and uses environa legislative printer said. mentally friendly chemicals like The Capitol crowd is making an soy-based inks, Shaw said. effort to recycle the vast amount of “At the time, though, recycling paper it-consumes. Butit isn’t do- isn’t very extensive,” Shaw said. ing as well as in previous years, “There’s a glut in raw materials.” said some state employees. The Capitol’s recycling company, “Last year we recycled newspaper Fiber Recovery, collects the recyard everything, and this year we clable material every Wednesday. don’t,” said House security guard But it is only accepting white paper Glen Dunn. and computer paper because of Fire«code restrictions and an poor market conditions, said Fiber overabundance of raw materials Recovery warehouse foreman are part of the reason for the Legis- Marcus Chavez. lature’s recent slack in recycling. Shawandhis printing crew someLast year, recycling bins lined the times work until 3 a.m. to get all walls of the House chamber and the necessary documents printed were constantly overflowing with for the next day. But printing 450 newspapers. But the bins are no- copies of the 300-page budget draft where in sight this year because the at the end ofthe legislative session fire marshal declared the piles of is the most demanding duty, papera fire hazard, said Gene Dos- Broadheadsaid. sey, the’ House sergeant-at-arms. “We get it just before midnight The Senate also has revised its on Tuesday and have to have it recycling practices. Secretary of the Senate Eugene Bridges said that printed by Wednesday morning,” last year there were bins outside he said. At least two environmental bills the Senate chamber. “But the pickup was irregular and after the ses- this session address recycling probsion it became a refuse heap. So | lems. Rep. David Ostler, R-Salt Lake got rid of them,” he said. Nowthere are boxes for recycla- City, is sponsoring House Bill 122, ble material in the Senate page which would impose a fine on peoroom, and the materials are collect- ple who put the wrong items in recycling bins that have signs clearly ed about once a month,hesaid. Despite the changes in the recycl- stating their purpose. Another bill in the House calls ing programs, the director of the legislative printing office said he is for the federal government to issue pleased with the lawmakers’efforts. concise definitions of recycling “They’ve been real concerned,” terms that could be adopted nationwide. said director Mark Shaw. Te Ae et eh et, ae ea: te le ee a te AE RNCNN NN A AA LT LL CCLLL LLLEAL ELD ELD ee Standard-Examinerstaff PRESIDENTS DAY SALE The Look You Thrive On, Now At Savings In The Bailiwick@ fn.09 Solid color knit shirts by Z. Cavaricci A. 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