Administrative Rules of Montana Initiative MT Rules ARMed

Administrative Rules of Montana Initiative MT Rules! ARMed for Success www. mtrules. org

MT Rules! ARMI is a technology initiative to: ¥ Automate state agency rule submittals ¥ Streamline the publishing processes of the Montana Administrative Register and Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) publications, and ¥ Enhance online publications and services

Business Drivers ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ Operation costs exceed current revenues. Growing online customer base with new needs. Declining number of print subscribers. State agency customers wanted online tools. Lack of confidence in online version of ARM. Complex program and slow process to update online ARM. State agencies duplicating web services. Inventory seven years out of date and costly to update. No centralized rules database.

What we did ¥ Secured top management commitment ¥ Brought together the stakeholders: our staff, agency users, and customers from the “real world” ¥ Stakeholders defined about 140 requirements ¥ Issued Request for Proposal to build system ¥ Awarded contract to Commer. Net, Inc.

What our users wanted More timely updating of ARM ¥ State-of-the-art searching options ¥ To see versions of a rule in the past ¥ The ability to track rule changes ¥ The ability to navigate easily within ARM ¥

What our state agencies wanted ¥ Simpler submittal process ¥ Online tools ¥ Standardized templates ¥ Instructions ¥ Single authoritative database for rules ¥ Maintain print version

What our office wanted ¥ Streamline publishing processes ¥ Increase public access to administrative rules ¥ Encourage public participation in rulemaking process ¥ Gain administrative efficiencies ¥ Reduce in-house inventory with printon- demand ¥ Ability to archive digitally

What we decided on ¥A “one stop” web portal A flexible centralized database ¥ Simple agency interface ¥ Online tools for users ¥ Keep printing ¥

Creation of the database ¥ Conversion challenges ¥ Loss of tabs, leader dots, double spaces ¥ Tables ¥ Images ¥ Source data ¥ Quality assurance process ¥ Flexible

Using the Public Interface ¥ Fast, versatile searching ¥ Presentation by rule with versioning ¥ Direct links to Montana Code Annotated and other rules within rule text ¥ Personal e. Book ¥ e. Notification service ¥ Online comments ¥ ADA Compliant

Montana Rulemaking ¥ Agencies follow the Montana Administrative Procedure Act ¥ A speedy rulemaking process ¥ Electronic submission of files

Publishing ¥ ¥ Montana Administrative Register ¥ Published twice a month ¥ 115 hard copy subscribers ¥ Prior to May 2008, online PDF of the Register Administrative Rules of Montana ¥ 29 three-ring binders for 20 state agencies ¥ Total of about 18, 000 pages and updated quarterly ¥ 440 hard copy subscribers to full set or extra title ¥ Maintain inventory of 25 full sets ¥ Prior to May 2008, online presentation was pagebased to replicate the hard copy EXACTLY.

System Features • Secure state agency login • Home page for agency users • User tracking • Able to add editor’s notes • Special reports: biennial review, multiple users

Secure Login mopetersen@mt. gov

Agency Home Page

General Tasks ¥ Modify department info ¥ Manage interested party list ¥ View/Edit agency users list

ARM Tasks ¥ Updating rules ¥ Modify Chapter, Subchapter, and Rule Titles ¥ Biennial Review Report ¥ View Returned Filings

Register Features • Intuitive workflow • Templates with self-populating fields • Easy to find rule text

Register Tasks ¥ Start a rule cycle ¥ Notices in progress ¥ View returned filings ¥ Review and reply to comments ¥ Multiple Check Out Rule Report

Building the Register ¥ Start a rule cycle

Create a New Notice Cycle

Starting a Notice Cycle

Choosing Actions and Rules X

Choosing the Chapter and Rule

Starting a Notice

Choosing a Template

Notice Edit • Agency constructs notice information

Notice Edit • Calendars help agency users construct notice

A Notice is generated

Latest version of rule in the text

Easy to use editor • Recognizable features • Functionality like Word • Agencies can easily change the notice

Submit to ARM ¥ Notice is submitted to SOS

SOS receives email notice • Staff clicks on Review Submitted Notices

Confirmation • SOS staff member can View or Edit the notice • Choose to Confirm or Return it.

Register Published Online • The system automatically generates a Table of Contents • SOS staff create the special notice and table sections to complete the TOC • Publish online with the click of a button

Publishing the Register print copy ¥ Web-based interface ¥ Automatic pagination ¥ No special software needed

Basic steps • Confirm starting page number • Create page files for all notices • Generate Table of Contents

Choose to edit by notice

Review and edit page-by-page

Publish Register issue print copy

Updating the ARM • Rule-based rather than page-based • Prepopulation of rules to be amended • Can view registers when working on the rule

Step 1: New rule numbering

Step 2: Update rule history

Step 3: Edit rule content

Step 4: Review and submit

SOS takes over the process • SOS clicks Review Submitted Rule Filings

• Accept and Publish • Reject and Return with • “Post-It Note” feature

• Manage Admin Users • Manage Email Templates • Manage Security Roles • Create or Edit System FAQ • Send Alert Emails

System architecture Cliff Li, CEO of Commer. Net, Inc.

What we did right ¥ ¥ ¥ Did our homework at the start and listened to customers Claimed ownership with centralized database Improved online presentation with links and versioning Better online tools for public users: searching, alerts Simplified process for agencies with online templates Confirmed quality of the database

Opportunities and challenges Documenting new work processes ¥ Requires new skills, such as HTML ¥ Online publishing requires more staff effort ¥ Keeping database current and maintaining integrity of data ¥ New system will require ongoing training and support for state agencies ¥ Print process is still a work in progress ¥

Simply Good Government Making it easier for the public to access rule information and to participate in rulemaking process can: Improve regulatory decisions and increase quality of administrative rules Increase compliance Enhance ability of government agencies to achieve program and policy goals

So join us in Big Sky for the NASS Conference in July of 2010

Questions ¥ Contact information: Jean Branscum Molly Petersen Kathleen Ely jabranscum@mt. gov mopetersen@mt. gov kely@mt. gov Website: www. mtrules. org