Idaho lawmakers go to boot camp

Idaho's Information Technology Resource Management Council (ITRMC), which

coordinates technology policy in the state, recently sponsored its first

e-government "boot camp" conference for state lawmakers, educators, mayors,

county commissioners, tribal representatives and other policy-makers.

ITRMC manager Miles Browne said the rigorous one-day conference, held

in early September, was not to be a "bits a bytes" discussion for IT professionals,

but a workshop for policy-makers to see how technology can improve the lives

of Idaho residents.

and an expert on e-government applications.

When the state legislature convenes again in January, Browne said, legislators

will have a better ability to act on budgets that include elements of information

technology and electronic services.

Sessions were to include the changing culture of e-government, preparing

for e-government, the role of telecommunications, security and privacy,

and IT budgeting and procurement. Among the featured speakers were P.K.

Agarwal, chief operating officer for the National Information Consortium

and an expert on e-government applications.

Browne explained that the boot camp would provide everyone with the

same information so they would have a chance to discuss it with one another

and with presenters. "Each level of understanding is different," he said.

"We're trying to bring that level of understanding to an equal plane."