May 3, 2000

State of Idaho Announces New Online Government Services Web Site

BOISE, ID - The Information Technology Resource Management Council (ITRMC) today formally unveiled Access Idaho, the State of Idaho's official new Internet "portal" or "electronic front door" providing Idaho citizens easier and faster online access to government information and services.

The web address for Access Idaho is: www.accessidaho.org

Users accessing the State of Idaho's official website through the old Internet address will automatically be linked to Access Idaho.

"Access Idaho is a major step forward in Idaho State government's strategic pursuit of developing E-Government applications to make state government more efficient, effective, and user-friendly for our citizens," according to Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne.

In announcing the new Portal service, ITRMC Chairman Pam Ahrens said that although many Idaho state government agencies have been utilizing the Internet successfully for a variety of on-line services, Access Idaho and its customized approach will expand and enhance such offerings. "It will be easier for citizens and other users to link specifically to the services or information they are seeking through the many state agency web sites already in place," Ahrens explained.

"Idaho citizens want government services to be responsive and cost effective. The public is expecting access to government information, permit and licensure applications, tax filing, educational offerings and payments in the same way they electronically reach their banks, brokers, and retailers," she added. "Suppliers and contractors also expect to do business electronically with government. The delivery of government services can be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

The new portal service is the result of a public-private partnership between the State of Idaho and the Idaho Information Consortium (IIC), a subsidiary of the National Information Consortium (NIC), which provides similar portal services for the states of Hawaii, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, and Maine.

Scott Somerhalder, General Manager of Access Idaho, presented an on-line demonstration of the new portal applications, and discussed the portal's operational process at the press conference held prior to the regular meeting of the ITRMC.

Access Idaho replaces the current State of Idaho home page site on the Internet, and will include such new features as a "State Calendar" for posting of all state agency events and public meetings, and a "How Do I?" system allowing citizens to ask specific questions and quickly get to the information source, Somerhalder explained. State agencies can then track those questions and in turn post the most frequently asked questions with the respective answers, at one centralized source.

As the portal evolves, he continued, the system will prove beneficial to businesses and citizens alike. In addition, other applications being developed will provide a statewide listing of all government agency news releases from one source; on-line business entity search and acquisition of certificates of existence through the Secretary of State's office, and a variety of citizen and business E-government applications.

Portal operations will be self-supporting from charges for certain electronic services provided to the public. No general taxpayer support will be required. Access Idaho will not resell personal information gained through portal applications; and a secured credit card payment system is also being developed.

Access Idaho represents a cooperative effort by government agencies, professional associations, Idaho businesses, educators and the public. Access Idaho staff is working cooperatively with state agencies to develop new applications and transactions to meet specific needs for citizens and business. An "Access Idaho Portal Oversight Committee" has been formed to provide fee oversight and overall direction.

"Many of our state agencies are well on their way in electronically providing information and services via the Internet. As development continues, Access Idaho will make state government more accessible to its citizens, and Idaho laws regarding privacy issues will be adhered to in all cases," Ahrens added.