BILL ANALYSIS AB 206 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 21, 1997 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TELEVISING THE ASSEMBLY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Elaine Alquist, Chair AB 206 (Hertzberg) - As Introduced: February 4, 1997 SUBJECT : Requires state agencies to provide complaint forms on their web sites. SUMMARY : Requires state agencies that maintain Internet web sites to make complaint forms available on their web site by July 1, 1998, or within six months of establishing a web site. Specifically, this bill : 1) Requires state agencies to allow individuals to register complaints or comments about the performance of the agency via the Internet. 2) Requires state agencies to notify individuals who call the agencies that complaint forms are available electronically and public libraries provide free Internet access. 3) Requires state agencies, to the extent feasible, to print their Internet web site addresses in telephone directories. 4) Requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to compile the complaint forms from all state agencies and distribute to public libraries. 5) Requires public libraries, to the extent permitted through donations, to provide Internet access and advertise that they provide this access. EXISTING LAW 1) Requires the Department of Consumer Affairs to accept and investigate written complaints against licensees of the department. FISCAL EFFECT : Unkown additional costs to the Department of Consumer Affairs. COMMENTS : This bill is consistent with Recommendation #5 by the Governor's Council on Information Technology recommending the establishment of an electronic gateway to California's services. This bill does not specify if the Department of Consumer Affairs is to distribute the complaint forms electronically or in hard copy to public libraries. The Department of Information Technology (DOIT) is already mandated by SB1 (Alquist) 1995 to develop plans and policies to support and promote effective application of information technology within state government. It also requires DOIT to AB 206 Page 2 provide a master plan for providing access to public records by January 1, 1997. As of April 16, 1997 this report has not been presented to the Legislature. The author may wish to take an amendment requiring DOIT to appoint an advisory board of state departments and agencies to establish a model complaint form. The author may wish to take an amendment placing this program under DOIT's responsibility to have oversight and require specific progress reports to the Legislature. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support California Community Colleges Plannning and Conservation League Opposition Analysis prepared by : Michael Rapport / atva&it / (916) 445-0541