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Virginia Governor Backs Biometrics Bill
by Maureen Sirhal
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner is applauding a new federal proposal that would enable states to use biometrics such as fingerprints or iris scans to verify identities on state drivers' licenses.
On Tuesday, Warner sent a letter to Democrat James Moran and Republican Tom Davis, House members from Virginia who sponsored the biometrics bill, H.R. 4633. "As the nation pursues measures to strengthen homeland security in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, smart drivers' licenses and identification cards hold enormous promise for reducing instances of fraud and breaches to security," Warner wrote.
The measure would allow state motor-vehicle divisions to imprint biometric data on drivers' licenses and link their license databases with other states to cross-reference individuals who have had their licenses revoked. Warner said the measure "could be a helpful step in our work to explore promising technologies in this area, and to protect privacy."
Moran said this week that he hopes Warner's support for the measure will encourage the National Governors Association to embrace the idea as well.
In other Virginia news, Warner appointed EDS' Anne Reed, who heads the firm's division on state and local government solutions, as a member of the Virginia Chief Information Officer (CIO) Advisory Board. The board advises state Technology Secretary George Newstrom on planning and developing information technology resources within state agencies. Reed joins 11 other private-sector technology experts on the board, which meets every quarter.
Before joining EDS, Reed served as the CIO at the Agriculture Department and was tapped by former President Clinton to serve on the Y2K Council, which studied the government's preparation for the year 2000 computer rollover.
Georgia Embraces Online Driver's License Renewals
In Georgia, meanwhile, residents now can renew their drivers' licenses online. Beginning in July, qualified residents can go online and pay $15 to renew if no changes are being made to the licenses. If drivers need to change information, they must physically visit a branch of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Residents must have a current photo, signature, fingerprint and address on file, without any pending suspensions, in order to participate in the online service.
The new service, one of the first in the nation, is part of Gov. Roy Barnes' effort to provide more government services online. "I believe that the implementation of mail-in and Internet driver's license renewals, combined with the opening of the four new customer service centers ... will drastically cut down on the wait that Georgians have been experiencing when they go to get their driver's license," Motor Vehicles Commissioner Tim Burgess said in a statement.
The state expects to receive 18, 000 to 25,000 renewal applications weekly.
In other Georgia news, the state's Industry, Trade and Tourism Department released new statistics on imports and exports. Department Commissioner R.K. Sehgal reported that the state experienced a growth in its computers and electronics exports, despite an overall export decrease of 2 percent. The tech companies exported $1.86 billion, an overall increase of more than $250 million.
California Uploads Anti-Spam Complaint Form
Live in California and hate getting spam? In an effort to enforce the state's law against unsolicited commercial e-mail, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer's office has issued an online spam complaint form that citizens can download to reporter offenders. The form asks consumers to list information about the spammer and answer questions pertaining to the nature of the e-mails in question.
In other California news, Lockyer this week announced a new forensic laboratory that will serve law enforcement agencies in six counties. The facility will offer analysis of DNA evidence, controlled substances, latent fingerprints and ballistics, among other things.
"Once it's built, this new laboratory will have the staffing and latest technology necessary to help local law enforcement throughout the Central Valley investigate and solve crimes faster and better than ever before," Lockyer said in a statement.
Business Group Grants Piracy Grace Period
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) on Wednesday announced that it will give area businesses in four U.S. cities a one-month grace period to review their software programs and acquire licenses without facing penalties for past infringement on intellectual property.
This month, BSA will reach out to more than 300,000 businesses in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Tulsa, Okla. It represents BSA's eighth anti-piracy effort since August 2000. The organization has offered the program in 35 cities and close to 5 million businesses.
According to BSA, software piracy in 2000 cost the United States about $5.6 billion in lost wages and resulted in a tax loss of more than $1.5 billion.
Utah Gets Mixed Grades On E-Government
Although Utah has made progress in putting government services online, the state still must overcome barriers to have an efficient e-government system, according to a report that state CIO Phillip Windley delivered to Gov. Michael Leavitt, legislators and the Information Technology commission last week.
The Deseret News reports that on a maturity scale of four, Windley called current e-government efforts a solid two. Cooperation and development across agencies, government branches and local governments must be achieved to reach a fully "integrated government," he said.
The report contains five pages of "significant agency accomplishments" -- from online voter registration and offerings of Utah maps, business-license renewals to consolidation of division databases and more. The report also contains six pages of national and state IT awards.
Cites Are Havens For Small Business
Inner cities are home to thousands of the nation's fastest-growing small businesses, according to the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC).
ICIC's Magazine Inner City 100, which ranks small businesses, was released last week. The survey of 4,300 small businesses in 191 concluded that: 88 percent rate their current inner-city location as a good or excellent place to do business; 61 percent rate their location as better or much better than three to five years ago; and 76 percent have considered expanding or relocating their businesses, with 100 percent of those planning to remain in an inner-city area.
"The growth of a vibrant business service sector in America's inner cities is significant because it signals a changing perception among entrepreneurs of the viability of the inner cities as a business location," Harvard business professor and ICIC founder Michael Porter said. "Moreover, the growth of high-tech companies in urban neighborhoods shows that the inner-city economy is increasingly integrating with the regional economy."
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