Commission Members Present:

• Sen. Carol Kontos, Chair
• Sen. Neria Douglass
• Rep. Thomas Davidson, Chair
• Rep. Jean Ginn Marvin
• Anthony Perkins
• Linda Monica
• James Mays
• Sally Sutton
• Matthew Jancovik
• Michael Edgecomb
• Sam Levy
• Phillip Lindley
• Eric Bryant
• Alan Brigham
• Dan Gwadosky
• Gary Nichols

Commission Staff: Susan Johannesman, Darlene Shores Lynch

Convening of Commission: Senator Kontos welcomed the Commission members and thanked them for their willingness to participate in this legislative study. Senator Kontos noted that the Commission should identify issues that need to be addressed now as well as issues that will need to be addressed in the future. Representative Davidson agreed and noted that the Commission should identify the top five things that need to be done for the people of Maine. Senator Kontos noted that the Joint Standing Committee on Business and Economic Development carried over several Internet bills to the Second Session. She requested Commission staff to provide members with copies of the carry over bills.

Review of Commission’s Charge: Commission staff reviewed the Commission’s charge and its reporting date of December 1, 1999. The general charge, spelled out in the law creating the Commission (1999 Resolves, Chapter 89), directs the Commission to study issues related to the future of information technology in the State.

InforME: Dan Gwadosky, Janet Grard and Rebecca Wyke of the Office of the Secretary of State provided an overview of the InforME system. InforME is a public/private system of delivery of government services and information to citizens and businesses via Internet technology. The system was created pursuant to Public Law 1997, chapter 713. Dan Gwadosky noted that Maine is one of nine states that currently have Internet gateways with Maine being the only state in the northeast. A common factor among the nine states is that they are geographically large. The advantages of Internet gateways include accelerated electronic access to public information, expanded information through the Internet, financially self-supporting, voluntary participation by state agencies, and a single point of contact for the public. Public/private Internet gateways are established in response to the following factors: the public demands more responsive access, state databases are not electronically accessible, the state lacks resources to invest in technology, disparity in web standards, presentation and navigation, and cost - inequity between agencies and duplication. The private partner provides cutting edge technology and marketing expertise.

Members requested copies of the InforME enabling statute and a printed version of Dan Gwadosky’s powerpoint presentation.

Rebecca Wyke presented information on four topics: (1) She noted that InforME has been approved to take over the state’s homepage. The homepage will provide a key word search capability for all agency sites, a task oriented search application for all agency sites that provides easy to understand instruction on how to perform tasks, the ability to provide live video and audio via the website and the ability to search and update agency databases online. (2) She noted that State agencies and municipalities should automate the coordination of government services using the Internet as a conduit by the creation of a municipal network. (3) She addressed the collection of fees for government services via the Internet. She noted that current state law requires the cost of administering credit card payments to be absorbed within the existing budgets of state agencies. She suggested that an alternative would be to allow the cost of the credit card service to be taken out of the fee due that agency or to allow citizens wishing to use a credit card to pay for the cost associated with that service. (4) Her final comments addressed the need for the creation of a system for verifying digital signatures. A digital signature is a method of securing electronic documents that provides proof of origin, message integrity and non-repudiation. The system would assist the advancement of electronic commerce in Maine and would allow state agencies to provide for electronic filing of important documents via the Internet. Members noted that it is important for digital signature laws to be technology neutral.

Focus of study: The Commission discussed its charge and compiled a list of potential study issues organized under the broad themes of (1) e-commerce, (2) access to government, (3) education, (4) privacy, (5) Internet abuses, (6) hate crimes, (7) electronic crimes, (8) Internet access, and (9) business development. The list includes the following issues:

• providers (departments/agencies)
• credit card use
• digital signatures
• need for laws to be technologically neutral
• infrastructure issues*
• tax policy issues
• uniform transaction laws*
• municipal requirements
• house-cleaning of statutes
• blue laws

• public education/notification
• timelines for accessibility
• municipalities (mandates, MMA)
• formats/standards/funding
• confidentiality/security
• ME-Span/Internet broadcast of hearings
• bill status
• hours for public use
• local access numbers

• K-12 and University (UNET)
• access/standards
• infrastructure/distance learning
• research and development

• privacy lists
• where do consumers go with complaints/Attorney General?
• opt in vs. opt out of providing information
• who has your information

• statement that legislature either should or should not get involved in this area

• statement that legislature either should or should not get involved in this area

• statement that legislature either should or should not get involved in this area

• low income community/PUC/Public Advocate
• content providers

• Virginia model*
• tax policy
• access to capital/FAME/SBIC’s*
• Maine & Co./Chamber
• leveraging the Internet for business development
• IT training/workforce

Members agreed that all the topics on the list cannot be addressed by this Commission during the limited time frame it is authorized to meet. Commission staff were asked to work with the Chairs to submit a list of issues to the members prior to the next meeting.

Additional meetings: The Commission set the following four meeting dates:

• Meeting #4: Monday, November 8, 1999 / 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Room 438 State House
• Meeting #5: Monday, November 22, 1999 / 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Room 438 State House