Governor Vilsack wants Iowans to have computer access to state government, any time of day. Vilsack is asking legislators to vote to create a new state “Information Technology Department.” Richard Varn, a former state legislator who is the Governor’s technology guru, would likely run the agency. Varn says Vilsack wants to spend nearly 10-million dollars to acquire the computer resources for a 24-hour state government. Varn says for example, a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week “on-line” government would provide forms for marriage, birth and death certificates, it’d provide tax returns and court documents. Someday, Iowans might renew their drivers’ licenses on-line or pay traffic fines by transferring money from their on-line bank account to the state treasury.
