Local document management business urges change
Going paperless could save the New York State Legislature millions of dollars, according to one Assemblyman.
In an effort to stop wasteful printing of bills and reports for state legislators, Assemblyman James Tedisco, R-Glenville, has introduced two pieces of legislation to the state Assembly, with Republican Senators on board, too. The first bill adds a section to legislative law and executive law for all reports, digests and records to be available online with a printing option. The second bill addresses the state constitution by allowing a bill’s passage if it is available electronically. Currently, the state constitution requires the final bill to be printed and on all members’ desks three days before approval.
`This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Any time you can save money and do something better, I think it is common sense,` said Tedisco. `It was a no-brainer for me to suggest it is going to be something positive for the state government at all levels.`
The 212 legislative desks see a myriad of documents, said Tedisco, so he introduced the bills in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s asking for ideas on how to reduce expenses in state government. His legislation, `Legislative Online Digital Paperwork Reduction Act,` wouldn’t require legislators to use only electronic documents, but it would have representatives printing out bills from their own office printers if they so please.
`We are in the 19th century in terms of messaging and technology here,` said Tedisco. `It is incomprehensible not to save money in this way I use the technology and we write as few letters as we can and try to get back to people by e-mail.`
Tedisco previously said if only the Assembly went paperless, savings could total $26 million. Legislators could use laptops, e-book readers or even their cell phones to view documents, he suggested. The House of Representatives recently went digital by a unanimous vote, and 18 state legislatures are implementing or experimenting with the digital switch, he added.
While Tedisco suggested legislators use an Amazon Kindle, with the base model costing $139 and the larger DX model costing $379, he pointed to Watervliet officials who recently purchased Apple iPads to replace stacks of papers. The starting price for an iPad is higher at $499, but unlike the Kindle, it includes more functionality such as a dedicated web browser and email connectivity.
Moving toward digital documents, he said, could be under a new Information Technology Task Force, with legislators seeking input from leading IT industry members volunteering their time and suggestions.
He added the switch would be more environmentally friendly.
`Going digital is a simple and effective way to save taxpayers money and reduce the state’s carbon footprint let’s move state government from birch to binary and go paperless and stop wasting tax dollars,` said Tedisco in a statement.
Senators Greg Ball, R-Patterson, Tom Libous, R-Binghamton, and Lee Zeldin, R-Shirley, are introducing his bill in the Senate. Co-sponsors in the Assembly include Representatives George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, Phil Boyle, R-Bay Shore, Tony Jordan, R-Jackson, Pete Lopez, R-Schoharie, Nicole Malliotakis, R-Staten Island, Steve McLaughlin, R-Melrose, Fred Thiele, I-Sag Harbor.
Schenectady-based docSTAR, a business focusing on document management software, knows what efficiencies can be reached by moving from the old filing cabinet system.
`At a state level, there is just a ton of paper everywhere you look, and that paper is in offices, it is in hallways, it is basements of offices, it is offsite everywhere you look there is an abundance of paper, which from my perspective makes for a very inefficient process,` said Jeff Frankel, executive vice president and principal of docSTAR.
The company serves 6,000 clients and 120,000 with its software for digital documents and has worked with state, county and local municipalities to produce more efficient daily operations.
Besides the possibility of saving money, Frankel believes going digital would help all levels of state government run more efficiently and allow employees to have information in real time when it is needed.
`When it comes to workflow and how employees communicate with one another, the use of technology will always have a part in creating efficiencies,` said Frankel. `There is no real downside to adopting a document management protocol throughout the entire state.`
UPDATE: Tedisco on the State Assembly floor addressing the cost of printing.
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