THE MISSION of the Kansas Legislative Computer Services is to provide a
rich environment of technological resources and service for the Kansas Legislature.

IT VISION FOR THE LEGISLATURE

• Every Legislator will have the ability to communicate and access information electronically anytime, anywhere.
• Every Legislator will have timely access to all public legislative information.
• Automation will be used in the chambers, committee rooms, caucus meetings, and legislative offices to reduce the flow time of the legislative decision-making process.
• Legislative staff will be equipped to efficiently and effectively create, manage, and control all legislative information.
• Kansas citizens who have access to appropriate technology will be able to communicate with Legislators and access legislative information from their home or place of business electronically.

COMPUTER SERVICES GOAL IS TO UPHOLD THE FOLLOWING VALUES.

1. Help with Kindness - When staff call Computer Services they are seeking assistance. They need to be helped without recrimination or intimidation. Staff in Computer Services must be patient and kind.
2. Thoroughness - Computer Services will strive to be thorough. This means double checking the repair or solution to ensure that the problem is truly gone. Taking time, if warranted, to show the user how to avoid making the same mistake. Making a note to write down the steps required to complete the operation if needed. Follow up on the repair to make sure it has not reoccurred. Doing what it takes to permanently eliminate the problem if possible.
3. "Do What We Say" - Computer Services will keep its commitments. If a Computer Service staffer promises or implies a follow up set of actions, they will complete those actions.

THE LEGISLATIVE NETWORK

The Kansas Legislature owns and operates its own computer network. This network includes all the Legislative agencies and has many connections to external entities.
The Legislative network is composed of microcomputers that are linked together physically by wire and logically by software. The network is managed by a cooperative effort of several technical staff in the Legislative agencies through coordination and direction provided by the Director of Legislative Computer Services. This network provides a variety of services to its clients.The services available to legislative staff are:

E-mail (Intranet and Internet)

Personal Scheduling

File Serving

Print Spooling

Internet Browsing (including the Information Network of Kansas)

Access to the State's mainframe computer

KANSAS LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION SERVICES SYSTEM (KLISS)

KLISS is the strategic information systems development for the Kansas Legislature. It is wide ranging and ambitious. KLISS uses the opportunity presented by the renovation of the Capitol Building to install GB to the desktop network infrastructure. KLISS replaces a 40 year old bill drafting systems and integrates that with completely redesigned bill status, chamber automation and decision support systems. KLISS also introduces new services to the legislative process such as video capture of the chamber proceedings and hearing rooms and creates the possibility of remote testimony. Using the audio/video capabilities of KLISS, the Legislature will be able to send out broadcast quality images to commercial or PBS TV. It will also redistribute encoded images within the Capitol Building creating an internal IP TV network for the Legislature. This is just the tip of the KLISS iceberg. Remote education, electronic Town Hall, and "no wrong door" access over the web are all planned for KLISS.

FIRST RESPONDERS

Are similar to the First Responders many fire departments have. They are the first individuals to report to the scene of a problem. Just like their counterparts in the fire departments, computer First Responders are trained in a variety of skills and are expected to deal with a variety of problems. If they can solve the problem, they will. If they can not solve the problem they will escalate the issue to get resolution. First Responders at the Kansas Legislature are very respected and valuable members of the Legislative staff.