A click to sign up.

• Author: Greenberg, Pam
• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS

State legislatures are making it easier for citizens to testify at House and Senate committee hearings by allowing them to sign in online. The innovation speeds and streamlines the process for witnesses, allows committee heads to manage hearings better and cuts down on clerical work. Arizona was a pioneer with the technology, first offering an online sign-in form in 2003.

For a decade, Arizonans have been able to register to testify by stopping by kiosks outside Capitol committee rooms. Once registered, they can submit a request to speak to a particular committee via the Legislature's website, or at a kiosk. Committee chairmen and chairwomen have instant electronic access to the list of speakers.

Several states have followed suit. After conducting pilot projects in a few committees in 2012, the Illinois General Assembly now offers an online sign-up option for most or all committees. Citizens can use the General Assembly's website "dashboard" to create, track and manage their online sign-up forms--called witness slips--for bills. In Washington, the Senate launched an electronic sign-up system in two committees in 2012 and expanded it this year. Information about the program is available on the Senate website, but the sign-up itself is available only on the Capitol campus, either at a kiosk or via the Legislature's public wireless network.

The Texas House this year repurposed older iPads for its online witness-registration system, stationing them around the Capitol for the public. Citizens also can use their own iPads to access the public wireless network to sign up. Chris Griesel, House parliamentarian, says the system is popular and has increased efficiency. Committee clerks have less...