Have computer, will travel.

• Author: Gordon, Dianna
• Position: Indiana equips lawmakers with wireless computers

Indiana is creating the "mobile paperless legislator" by equipping state lawmakers with wireless computers--a first in the nation.

Joe Harrison takes his seat on the Indiana Senate floor, opens his briefcase, flicks a switch and is on-line. As other colleagues wait impatiently for copies of a proposed amendment to be distributed by legislative staffers, he calmly calls it up with a flick of his laser pen.

Leaving the session, he tucks his computer under his arm and heads for the committee room, armed with instant information on the matter at hand.

Senator Harrison, one of 12 in the Indiana Senate who helped conduct a trial run of the system, is sold on the new wireless computers--the first such system to be used by a state legislature. "Once people see it and understand it, it will be wanted," he says, predicting the Indiana Senate will be fully computerized within a year.

"When we started looking at computers a couple of years ago," he continues, "I had a PC [personal computer] screen on my desk. It was hard wired, cumbersome and hard to handle. This new system is not landlocked with something screwed down to a desk."

Harrison, who notes he has "been around the legislature for a long time," explains that citizen legislatures such as Indiana's are sure to become obsolete as the number of bills and amendments introduced continues to increase every session. Lawmakers will have to devote more time and longer sessions to legislative duties unless they can find ways to make the work go faster. "This is a way to handle that increasing load of information and maintain our citizen legislature status," he says.

"Once you sign on, you are automatically updated on all actions in the House and Senate," he explains.

Members of the House are equally enthusiastic after 12 representatives tried the computers this session, according to Bob Amos, legislative data processing coordinator.

It was Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Bob Garton who started the whole thing. Why? His answer is succinct: "The 21st century."

"I'm not a computer person," he adds, "but I know they're here. And I think computers will help us. There are such massive amounts of information available now that it's difficult to even file it. With these computers, lawmakers can have that information at the touch of a pen on the screen."

The information, by the way, is fed into scanners by legislative staff and is incorporated into the computer network in a matter of minutes.

That speed was one...