Washington State House of Representatives

House to open web dialogues on higher education, obesity

OLYMPIA – State Representatives will take another step toward improving citizen participation with two web-based dialogues from July 23 to July 25. Washington residents are invited to join legislators and experts in the “Web Dialogues” to address obesity issues in the first dialogue and higher education access in the second dialogue.

“Online democracy has exploded in recent years and the Legislature should jump in and be a part of this new and exciting method of communicating ideas with citizens,” said House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle). “Web dialogues will encourage more people outside of Olympia to take part in key conversations with legislators, experts and each other.”

“These online dialogs are another positive step toward a more transparent government and greater public participation in the decision-making process,” said Rep. Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis), the House Republican Leader. “This is an opportunity to bring citizens into the legislative debate in a way that’s convenient and allows for an open discussion of critical issues such as health care, taxes and education.”

Two House committees will host the two web dialogues from July 23 through July 25. Each day will focus on a different topic and will involve a panel of experts. Registered individuals may participate at their convenience and will receive daily summaries each morning.

• The Health Care and Wellness Committee’s web dialogue will identify ideas to reduce obesity. Poor diet, lack of physical activity, and obesity are leading causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, which continue to increase every year. The treatment of chronic diseases is a major component of the rising cost of health care. The obesity web dialogue address is: http://www.webdialogues.net/wahousehcw/obesity 
   
• The Higher Education Committee will use the second dialogue to examine ideas on what communities, parents, colleges, universities, and the state can do to educate more students to higher levels. Topics will cover financial aid, improving access, and methods to educate students. The access web dialogue address is: http://www.webdialogues.net/wahousehe/access

The committee chairs and ranking members will use the results of the dialogues in policy planning. They also intend to keep web dialogue participants involved in the legislative process throughout the fall and into the 2008 session.

In 2005, the Washington House of Representatives developed a strategic plan to guide its work over the long term. Overwhelmingly, the biggest concern that legislators wanted to address was citizens’ confidence in the legislative process. Legislators thought citizens felt alienated from a process dominated by lobbyists and insiders. They set as their number one goal to increase public participation, understanding and transparency of the legislative process.”

Last year the House connected a hearing room to a high speed telecommunications network that allowed citizens from outside Olympia to go to a neighboring school or community college and testify at hearings in Olympia.

House members and staff are working with WestEd, a nonprofit organization that provides web-based dialogues to inform and engage citizens in public policy issues, after hearing about the resource last summer. The two pilot dialogues with WestEd are being created to gain a better knowledge and understanding of electronic democracy and to improve the methods in which the House brings citizens into the Legislative process.

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Health Care/Obesity Dialogue: http://www.webdialogues.net/wahousehcw/obesity 

House Health Care and Wellness Committee: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/HCW 

Higher Education Dialogue: http://www.webdialogues.net/wahousehe/access

House Higher Education Committee: http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/HE 

For interviews:

Speaker Frank Chopp: 360.786.7920

Rep. Richard DeBolt: 360.786.7896

Larry Clark, House Democratic Caucus, 360.786.7214, Clark.Larry@leg.wa.gov

Lisa Fenton, House Republican Caucus, 360.786.7728, Fenton.Lisa@leg.wa.gov