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State, Local Government Agencies Awarded for IT Innovation in Idaho

A variety of IT programs were honored by the state's Information Technology Resource Management Council.

BOISE, Idaho -- To recognize the effective use of IT to improve services to citizens, six agencies were formally honored on Wednesday for their innovative approaches to technology.

The projects ranged from an electronic pay-stub program for state employees -- which, for the first time, allows visually impaired employees to access their pay stubs online using an audible screen reading interface -- to an application making it possible for online filing of continued unemployment benefits by Idaho citizens.

The Information Technology Achievement Awards were presented by the Information Technology Resource Management Council (ITRMC) at an award luncheon held as part of the ITRMC's annual 2002 Digital Government Boot Camp for Idaho policy makers.

"These awards recognize the excellent work by state and local government agencies in making it easier for Idaho citizens to get the information and services they need either online or through integrated processes," said Rich Elwood, statewide IT coordinator of the ITRMC.

He said the projects effectively use technology to contain costs, several of them building upon systems already in place.

Like other states, Idaho is faced with serious budget shortfalls, he said, and IT is being used effectively to maximize the investments state agencies have already made.

Receiving awards in the following six categories were:

Accessibility: The Office of the State Controller was honored for its electronic pay stub program for state employees. Through single user identification and password entry, employees are provided confidential and secure access to view their paychecks online, saving thousands of dollars in paper payroll processing.

Digital Government: The Idaho Transportation Department won an award for its online court access to driver license records via the Internet. Through the state's Web portal, Access Idaho, drivers' license records requests are made available online to government, qualified business entities and drivers.

Information Architecture: The Idaho Division of Human Resources and Department of Labor were honored for their joint project resulting in a new applicant-tracking system that simplifies the employee recruiting process for Idaho. The electronic process eliminates paper and cuts days from the hand scoring, copying, filing and distribution process formerly used. Applicants create and submit an electronic application, submit any test material and send resumes instantly at any time from any location.

Innovative Use of Technology: The Board of Examiners online application allows other agencies, city, county, school districts or other public entity groups to acquire state-owned surplus property. To notify others about available surplus property in the past, agencies submitted 90 copies of a declaration to the board, and the board then distributed this as a notice to most sate agencies. The old process, which normally took three weeks, is now done electronically, is paperless and is immediately accessible.

Public Private Partnership: The Office of the State Controller won a second award for its electronic W-2 download program for state employees. As a result of the program, state employees are among the first in the nation to receive an electronic version of their W-2 information that could be imported into TurboTax for the 2001 tax-filing season.

Service Applications: The Department of Labor took an award for its Internet continued claims system, which allows unemployed workers to use the Internet to contact the state office to certify they are eligible for another week of benefits by filing a continuing claim online. For several years, claimants were required to use a telephone calling system, with out-of-town claimants incurring long distance charges.

Idaho Department of Administration