At first glance, it was just like many other emails sent by area residents. The writer, a constituent of South Logan County, expressed his frustration with the regulatory actions of a large state agency. While I understood the writer's frustration and his valid description of a legitimate abuse, I was excited to realize that his email contained a validation of one of the most important transparency tools, a tool that allowed this South Logan County resident to demonstrate an error by a large state agency.
Starting in 2009, we placed videos of each House session online for all to see. When we implemented this transparency concept, I envisioned that citizens would watch the proceedings as they happened. However, I failed to realize the full potential of the service. The most important part of this reform isn't that the content is broadcast in the first place; it's valuable because it's accessible for everyone to see for years to come. The video content has been indexed to allow viewers to retrieve very specific footage without the need to scroll through other items.
In 2013, a state representative sponsored a bill to lift restrictive, costly government regulations on those who sell home produced items. Specifically, the representative explained how the bill would allow home-based food producers to sell their products at farmersí markets. Continue>>>
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