Upgrade of Legislature’s computer system could top $1.2 million

Wednesday, June 4, 1997 | 10:33 a.m.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, can guess which information system will win in the competition between the old and the new. He said the chalk board will provide the more useful information to lawmakers.

"It's time to swallow our pride," Coffin said, adding that the high-tech, television-type display boards in the Senate and Assembly can't provide the range of information that was included on the old chalk boards.

Until the new system can be fixed, Coffin said the chalk boards are necessary so the public and lawmakers can track bills during the hectic waning days of the session.

The display boards are part of a $1.7 million computer system that was supposed to be finished months ago. It's still being installed by the Pythia Corp. of Indianapolis.

Now the Legislature is proposing an additional $1.2 million over the next two years to further upgrade the legislative process and fix any bugs in the system.

The $1.2 million in SB72 includes $180,000 for the software code created by Pythia so the Legislature can control and modify its own system rather than relying on the contractor.

"In retrospect, I think we tried to do too much this session," said Lorne Malkiewich, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau. "But we're a lot farther along than we expected to be by doing so much. We're 12 to 18 months ahead of schedule."

Although elements of the new computer system still aren't working, Pythia Corp. is finishing the project at the original contract amount - despite working months longer than expected, Malkiewich added.

The system includes a bill-drafting program and the full automation of the Assembly and Senate chambers. The bill-drafting system was never put into use this session, and will have to be tested when the Legislature adjourns.

Assemblyman Jack Close, R-Las Vegas, who served on a subcommittee overseeing the project, said Pythia's performance has been disappointing.

But he also said there are some successes, including a budget program developed by a separate contractor that lets lawmakers track and update Gov. Bob Miller's spending plan as legislative changes are made.