Illinois upset the home of Microsoft to be the best state online.
Washington state now trails Illinois.  Technology savvy California is not
even on the top 10 list.

Kelly

Chicago Sun times

Illinois best in online services

January 7, 2002

BY HOWARD WOLINSKY BUSINESS REPORTER

Illinois finally has reclaimed bragging rights as the Land of Linkin'.

The new national Digital State 2001 survey, released annually, showed
that state government here is the best in the land--tied with Kansas--in
offering
services over the Internet and taking other digital measures to
streamline state government.

Back in 1998, Illinois, which prides itself on tech prowess, including
the development in 1993 at the University of Illinois of Mosaic, the
multimedia browser
that made possible the revolution of World Wide Web, suffered the
ignominy of being 49th in the survey.

"Illinois is user-friendly and a model for the other states," said Kent
Lassman, author of the report, sponsored by the Progress & Freedom
Foundation, a
Washington, D.C.-based public-policy research group, and the Center for
Digital Government.

He noted that the state rose to the top at a time when other states also
are enhancing services digitally.

The Ryan administration has made digital services a priority, resulting
in the state last year ranking fourth nationally and "most improved" in
the survey.

Illinoisans now can go online to take college and high school classes,
pay taxes, renew occupational licenses, check on road construction and
even pick
up a fishing license.

In a statement, Gov. Ryan said: "This is great news for the people of
Illinois. By emphasizing the use of technology and investing in it, we
have fundamentally
changed the way government operates and serves people."

Rounding out the top 10 were Washington, which ranked first in three
earlier annual surveys, Maryland, Arizona, Maine, New Jersey, Utah, Ohio
and Michigan.

Researchers surveyed the states on 45 factors in eight categories
relating their use of digital technologies to deliver services in such
areas as business
regulation, taxation, social services, law enforcement, education,
infrastructure management and "digital democracy," such as presenting the
legislature's
actions online.

Illinois ranked in the top 10 in six categories.

Illinois came in first in education services online. The state was
singled out for the Illinois Virtual High School program, which offers
coursework online,
including classes in foreign languages and advanced-placement math and
science. The state also ranked first in offering digital services in law
enforcement
and the courts.

The worst showings--and they're not all that bad--were 11th place for
social services and 15th place for digital democracy.

"Illinois has made amazing progress in the past three years in the use
and implementation of government technology," said Jeffrey A. Eisenach,
president
of the Progress & Freedom Foundation. "Illinois clearly understands the
importance of technology, and has committed the financial and human
capital to
becoming a national leader in the field."

Mary Reynolds, who became the state's first chief technology officer
three years ago, said streamlining and automating state services using
digital technologies
has been a priority for the Ryan administration.

"Gov. Ryan has been very intent on integrating technology into state
government and was insistent on finding ways to do things in really
different ways,
including using the Internet and automation," she said.

She said that under these initiatives the lives of hundreds of thousands
of Illinois residents have been affected by bringing government closer to
the citizens
and providing services in a better way.

For example, she said, 5,560 schools, colleges, universities, museums,
libraries, and state and local government have been linked on the
Illinois Century
Network. Reynolds said hundreds of schools now have Internet access that
didn't previously.

She said the Illinois Virtual Campus program enables students anywhere in
the state to take college classes on distant campuses, and more than
80,000 students
have participated in this program.

She said the state also has made it easier to do business with
government. She said accountants, nurses, beauticians and others licensed
by the state can
easily renew their licenses at their convenience online.

Lassman, a native of Geneseo, said he was impressed with Illinois' I-WIN
program, which pulls together databases to make available to police
officers in
real time information related to vehicle licenses plates, drivers
licenses, warrants, firearms ownership and criminal history.

"Most states have not gone to this level of integration," he said.

He said the state also offers advanced services for filing tax
information online by businesses and individuals. Virtually all taxforms
are available online.

Reynolds said that this year the state will pioneer use of digital
signatures across all agencies to securely streamline transactions, such
as paying pharmacies
for medication for patients covered by Medicaid. She said some other
states require digital signatures to be established for each agency with
which an
individual deals.

Shaye Mandle, president of the Illinois Coalition, the public-private
group that promotes the state's technology economy, said: "The state of
Illinois'
ascension to the No. 1 ranking in the nation as a 'Digital State' is a
tremendous achievement that bodes well for the future of technology in
this state.
By establishing a state government that leads the nation in adopting
digital technologies to improve services delivery, Illinois has signaled
its commitment
to a technology-literate citizenry and strong technology-based business
development."

The state's Web site address is www.state.il.us/gov.


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