Free the Legislative Process of its Paper Chains: IT-Inspired Redesign of the Legislative Procedure

Abstract

Over the past decades legislatures have found ways and means to use IT technology to support legislative activity and improve access to legislative documents. Increasingly IT applications used for elements and parts of the legislative process are linked. This paper argues that it is now time we took the next step and redesign the legislative process by tailoring it to the information needs of the 21st century. The rationale and set up of most legislative processes is still the paper-based legislative process. Different legislatures have used IT as a lever to redesign their legislative process. The paper gives examples of innovative technology EU-countries have introduced and touches upon IT-assisted architectures for legislative programming (preparation), legislative calendars, IT-assisted drafting systems, impact assessment, internet-based consultation, IT-assisted review, new ways of amending legislation (by MEP’s for instance), electronic promulgation, electronic codification and consolidation, electronic access to legislation, IT-based effect monitoring (including evaluation) etc. The paper finishes by giving a framework for a new ‘paper-detached’ legislative procedure.