Question 2:
What actions are needed over the next few years to ensure all interested and affected parties are able to use the e-rulemaking system effectively and efficiently? Which of thee actions fall to the administration or individual agencies of government? Which fall to the user community? What role should the academic community play in this process?

Discussion Leader: Fred Emery, Philip Harter
Summary:
o Use of e-media to file comments for participation in rulemaking
o Plebiscite vs. deliberate democracy
o Ensure that certain sectors don’t hijack the process; i.e. “freeze out others”
o Yahoo-esque personal searches and “my” user pages
o Education
      Translate into plain English
      Citizens only have so much time available
      Outreach, accessibility, and meaningful participation
      Focus on agency needs

RECOMMENDATIONS
personal search engine – active notification
“my town hall” : priority= high
“plain English” descriptions/explanatory documents – layperson translation of legal/regulatory documents: priority=medium
education of the public re: regulatory/rulemaking process: priority= high
What is e-rulemaking? Dr. Harter: using e-rulemaking as communication process; how broad should definition be?: priority= low
What is participation? Meaningful dialogue (accomplished with education?): priority= high
template – creation of citizen/user-tools: priority= high
accessibility issues (compliance with ADA): priority= medium
citizen involvement in designing the portal/format: priority= high
TOP PRIORITIES:
accessibility
outreach and education
making participation meaningful
citizen involvement in designing the portal/format of e-rulemaking

Discussion Leader: Neil Eisner
Summary:

• Interests affected:
     o Anyone willing to participate
           Take into account different groups with different needs and characteristics
• Educating the public with regards to technology
     o Need to develop usable tool
     o Need to take into account costs and availability of the internet, as well as computer literacy
     o Create easier access for people without computer skills and/or availability
• Regulations need to be readable and comprehensive for both the agencies and the general public
• Provide question and answer sessions on the internet or provide an 1800 number where people can ask questions
     o Keep in mind limited federal resources
           How to pay someone to answer questions in a chat room
           Analyze costs and benefits
           Money spent to help achieve better outcomes
• A significant percentage of the population is not involved in the rulemaking process
     o They may have the information needed to write better regulations
• What can and cannot go out to the public i.e. copyrighted material
     o The user community needs to decide whether they want the copyrighted material protected and obscenities deleted
     o Requires a trust in the technology