Category: News Corner

NASS Administrative Rules Organization Elects National Officers

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For Immediate Release – July 24, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) today announced the election of its new slate of national officers for a two-year cycle. Oklahoma Associate Editor Christopher Coffman will serve as president of the group, which includes administrative rules professionals from the federal government and all fifty states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa.

“I am honored to be serving an organization composed of talented professionals dedicated to advancing public awareness and access to the regulatory process,” said Coffman, who has served with the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office since 2007.  “I look forward to working with our elected officers to further advance the strategic mission of our organization.”

Along with Coffman, ACR members also selected the following national officers:

•           President:  Christopher Coffman, Oklahoma – Associate Editor

•           Vice-President:  Deanna Maiolo, Colorado – Administrative Rules Program Manager

•           Secretary-Treasurer:  Anne Bloomsburg, Virginia – Assistant Registrar of Regulations

The national officers were elected by full member vote at the NASS 2018 Summer Conference held July 13 to July 16 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They will serve a two-year term ending in July 2020.

Formed in 1978, the NASS Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section brings together federal and state government professionals–often employed by Secretary of State offices–who are responsible for reviewing and compiling government rules and regulations. Some members also oversee the production of “blue books,” which are official government directories and fact books for the states.

ACR members are committed to fostering the development of better rule-writing skills and rule review techniques and developing more effective management of the rule promulgation process, particularly in the publication of administrative codes and registers. They are also focused on increasing public access to the rulemaking process.

ACR also produces the State and Federal Survey, a biannual survey of codes and registers, comprehensively documenting the operations of state and federal administrative rules “gatekeepers,” publishers and reviewers.

For more information, please visit www.administrativerules.org.

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Media Contact:
Maria (Dill) Benson, Director of Communications
mbenson@sso.org | 202-624-3528 | www.nass.org

NASS Administrative Rules Organization Honors Rhode Island Code of Regulations as 2018 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award Winner

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For Immediate Release
July 23, 2018

Washington, D.C. —  The Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) awarded the Rhode Island Code of Regulations with the 2018 Robert J. Colburn, Jr. Innovation Award at the association’s annual conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Rhode Island Code of Regulations (RICR) is a system focused on increasing transparency and encouraging civic engagement in the state’s administrative rulemaking process. The RICR features up-to-the-minute rulemaking data, includes an online public comment module, and displays complete version histories for each rule on one, user-friendly page. The application also allows users to have digital access to supporting documentation and aims to increase accessibility by making rulemaking documents fully searchable and translatable. The RICR also contains a civic education component which endeavors to make the rulemaking process easier for the public to understand. The system was designed to “function more as a conversation, not a monologue.”

“The new Rhode Island Code of Regulations (RICR) is a great example of multiple state agencies and branches of government working efficiently together to create a dynamic, intuitive application in just two years. This innovative collaboration resulted in a comprehensive solution that simplified processes, improved access, and educated the public,” said ACR President Emily Caudill, Kentucky Regulations Compiler. “I am delighted that our members in the Administrative Codes and Registers Section have recognized RICR with the 2018 Colborn Award.”

Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR), a section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), created the Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award in July 2001 in honor of Robert J. Colborn, Jr., who served as the administrator of the Maryland Division of State Documents from 1974 through 2001 and founded ACR. The Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award annually recognizes a program that demonstrates creativity and innovation in providing public access to, or managing, administrative rules. It honors the state agency that has made substantial contributions to the flow of information to the public by improving efficiency and delivery of services to citizens, businesses, and other governmental entities.

“As Secretaries of State, we often play the critical role of maintaining government records and ensuring that important information about government is available to our citizens in useful and meaningful ways. The RICR is not simply a website that displays regulations online. It is a portal through which the government and its citizens can communicate about the issues that affect them to make government more transparent, accessible, and efficient,” said Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea, who accepted the award.

2018 ACR Robert J. Colborn Jr. Committee:

Chair: Anne Bloomsburg, Assistant Registrar, Virginia Division of Legislative Services

Member: Deanna Maiolo, Administrative Rules Program Manager, Colorado Secretary of State’s Office

Member: Emily Ewart, Rule Specialist and Policy Analyst, Montana DEQ Waste and Underground Tank Management Bureau
Recent Colborn Award Recipients:

2017 – Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office for the Wyoming Administrative Rules System

2016 – Connecticut eRegulations System

2015 – Iowa’s Public Comment Website for Administrative Rules

2014 – Colorado’s Administrative Rules Program, for Implementation of the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act

2013 – Utah’s Division of Administrative Rules, for eRules Administrative Rule Filing and Publication System

For more information, visit http://www.administrativerules.org/.

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Media Contact:
Maria (Dill) Benson, Director of Communications
mbenson@sso.org | 202-624-3528 | www.nass.org

NASS Administrative Rules Organization Honors Iowa Office of the Chief Information Officer with 2015 Colborn Award

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Public Comment Website for Administrative Rules Earns Iowa CIO the 2015 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Award

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For Immediate Release
July 21, 2015

WASHINGTON, DC – Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR), a section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), has selected Iowa’s Office of the Chief Information Officer as recipient of the 2015 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award. It is the first time that Iowa has received the national honor.

The Iowa CIO’s office received this year’s Colborn Award for its Iowa Public Comment Website for Administrative Rules (https://rules.iowa.gov/), which enables citizens to be more informed and engaged in the state’s administrative rule making process while streamlining the method for commenting on proposed rules.

“Since taking office, our administration has made government transparency a priority,” said Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.

“The new administrative rules website developed by Iowa’s Office of the Chief Information Officer allows citizens to read, review and comment on rules from any place there is an internet connection. With the emergence of technology in our daily lives, government, too, can adapt to better serve the taxpayers.”

Iowa’s Public Comment Website for Administrative Rules is based on a collaboration between legislative and executive branch leaders, using key design criteria and creativity to make the site simple to use and mobile-friendly.

“This is our mission – to provide quick access and efficient services, and we are proud and quite fortunate that we have the staff to be able to deliver these innovative, responsive and meaningful solutions” said Bob von Wolffradt, Chief Information Officer for the State of Iowa.

Presented during the ACR’s annual conference, held July 9 through 12 in Portland, Maine, the Colborn Award annually recognizes a state program that demonstrates creativity and innovation in providing public access to, or management of, administrative rules. The award also highlights improved efficiency and delivery of services to citizens, businesses and other governmental entities.

The award’s namesake, Robert J. Colborn, Jr., founded ACR and served as the administrator of the Maryland Division of State Documents from 1974 through 2001.
2015 ACR Robert J. Colborn Jr. Committee

  • Deanna Maiolo, Chair – Manager, Colorado Administrative Rules Program
  • Jane Chaffin – Emeritus ACR President, Registrar of Regulations, Virginia Division of Legislative Services
  • Molly Masich – Codifier of Rules, North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings

Past Colborn Award Recipients
2014 – Colorado Administrative Rules Program
2013 – Utah Division of Administrative Rules
2012 – Award not issued
2011 – Florida Division of Library and Information Services
2010 – New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Administrative Law Division
2009 – Virginia Division of Legislative Services
2008 – Arkansas Secretary of State
2007 – Colorado Secretary of State
2006 – Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
2004 – Office of the Federal Register
2003 – Missouri Secretary of State, Administrative Rules Division
2002 – Virginia Department of Planning and Budget
For more information, visit www.administrativerules.org.

About NASS
Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services, digital archiving, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs.

The organization also offers two issues-based membership sections for state government professionals:

For media questions, contact:
Kay Stimson
NASS Director of Communications
202-624-3528 (o) | 703-869-5868 (c)
nass@sso.org

Visit www.nass.org.  Follow us on Twitter: @NASSorg.  Get Facebook updates at: www.facebook.com/pages/National-Association-of-Secretaries-of-State-NASS/17949954131. Nonpartisan voting info at www.CanIVote.org

Need to reach NASS?  Call our main line at 202-624-3525.

Retirement of Joe Royce Announced

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Source: Des Moine Register

State rulemaking guru Royce retiring

Joe Royce, the senior legal counsel for the Iowa Administrative Rules Review Committee, is retiring on Jan. 2. He’s been a key source for decades for anyone in Iowa who is trying understand the complexities of state government rulemaking, which is one of the most powerful areas of governance at the Iowa Capitol. The rules panel handles spelling out the details of operating everything from Iowa health care programs to casino gambling and education.

“It is time — I’m over 65 and have had too much fun,” Royce said. “I came in 1976, stayed with the ARRC and leave in my 38th year. I did plan for retirement financing, but I forgot to plan on what exactly to do — a mistake. I am going to learn Spanish and sleep in in the mornings.”

 

 

NASS Administrative Rules Organization Selects New National Officers

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Washingtonian Kerry Radcliff Elected to Lead ACR as President for 2014-2016

For Immediate Release
August 14, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC – Washington State Register Editor Kerry Radcliff  has been elected president of the Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). The group includes administrative rules professionals from the federal government and the 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa.

“I am honored and humbled to be leading such a diverse group that includes representatives from all branches of government, including rule editors, agency rule writers, reviewers and legal counsel,” stated Radcliff. “As we approach the 40th anniversary of the founding of ACR, I plan to continue the direction of our previous presidents by engaging our membership in efforts to enhance access and public engagement when it comes to the rulemaking process.”

Along with Radcliff, ACR members also selected the following national officers:

  • President:  Kerry Radcliff, Washington – State Register Editor
  • Vice-President:  Emily Caudill, Kentucky – Assistant Administrative Regulations Compiler
  • Secretary-Treasurer:  Christopher Coffman, Oklahoma – Associate Editor

The national officers were elected by full member vote at the NASS 2014 Summer Conference held July 13 to July 16 in Baltimore, Maryland. They will serve a two-year term, ending in July 2016.
Formed in 1978, the NASS Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR) Section brings together federal and state government professionals–often employed by Secretary of State offices–who are responsible for reviewing and compiling government rules and regulations. Some members also oversee the production of “blue books,” which are the official government directory and fact book for each state.
ACR members are committed to fostering the development of better rule-writing skills and rule review techniques and developing more effective management of the rule promulgation process, particularly in the publication of administrative codes and registers. They are also focused on increasing public access to the rulemaking process.

ACR also produces the State and Federal Survey, a survey of codes and registers, comprehensively documenting the operations of the state and federal administrative rules “gatekeepers,” publishers and reviewers.
For more information, please visit www.administrativerules.org.  Follow the ACR Section discussion on Twitter at @ACRorg.

For media questions, contact:
Kay Stimson
NASS Director of Communications
202-624-3528 (o) | 703-869-5868 (c)
nass@sso.org

NASS Administrative Rules Organization Honors Colorado Administrative Rules Program with 2014 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Award

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Colorado Secretary of State’s Office Recognized for Implementation of Uniform Electronic Legal Records Act

For Immediate Release
July 28, 2014

WASHINGTON, DC – Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR), a section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), awarded Colorado’s Administrative Rules Program with the 2014 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award.

Presented as part of the association’s annual conference held July 13 through 16 in Baltimore, Maryland, this year’s Colborn award recognizes the Colorado Secretary of State’s implementation of the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act.  Through its adoption, the state has enabled government users to be more effective and efficient, while also providing clear assurance that users have access to official, authenticated state regulations.

”We’ve made great strides to improve how my office delivers services, and this latest program illustrates our commitment to innovation,” said Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler. “We aim to be the best in the nation, and this award shows we’re on the right track towards achieving that goal.”

ACR created the Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award in July 2001, in honor of the late Robert J. Colborn, Jr., who served as the administrator of the Maryland Division of State Documents from 1974 through 2001 and founded ACR.

The Colborn Award annually recognizes a program that demonstrates creativity and innovation in providing public access to, or management of, administrative rules.  It honors a state agency that has made substantial contributions to the flow of information to the public by improving efficiency and delivery of services to citizens, businesses and other governmental entities.

“Since the passage of this uniform law, states have been striving to put these benefits in effect for our customers,” said Colorado Administrative Rules Program Manager Deanna Maiolo. “We are honored to be recognized for delivering a new and efficient service to our stakeholders.”

This marks the second time Colorado has received the Colborn Award.  In 2007, Colorado was recognized for its Code of Colorado Regulations Online Portal.

With its broad applicability to a growing number of states, Colorado’s implementation of the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act is recognized for demonstrating creativity and innovation in assuring authenticity, integrity, restorability and usability of administrative rules electronic publications.

2014 ACR Robert J. Colborn Jr. Committee

Kenneth A. Hansen, Chair — Director, Utah Division of Administrative Rules, Salt Lake City, Utah

Liz Cloud — Program Administrator, Florida Department of State Administrative Code and Register Section

Kerry S. Radcliff — Editor, Washington Statute Law Committee

Past Colborn Award Recipients

2013 — Utah Division of Administrative Rules
2012 — Award not issued
2011 — Florida Division of Library and Information Services
2010 — New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Administrative Law Division
2009 — Virginia Division of Legislative Services
2008 — Arkansas Secretary of State
2007 — Colorado Secretary of State
2006 — Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
2004 — Office of the Federal Register
2003 — Missouri Secretary of State, Administrative Rules Division
2002 — Virginia Department of Planning and Budget

For more information, visit www.administrativerules.org.

About NASS

Founded in 1904, the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) is the oldest nonpartisan, professional association of public officials in the United States.  Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy.  The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services and digital archiving, as well as several well-established awards programs.

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Media Contact

Kay Stimson 202.624.3528, or nass@sso.org