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About the Legislative Web Site

Privacy Policy

Any information we collect or request of you as you use this site will be used only to respond to your questions, provide services you request, perform routine system maintenance, track information about traffic to the site, and improve our website structure. The Minnesota State Legislature collects information generated by visits to our website only to: analyze traffic patterns; to collect information you specifically provide to us, such as in surveys; to provide interactive and alerting services; and to verify appropriate use of the site. We do not track users or use the system logs or other records for any other purpose. Nor do we sell, rent or otherwise improperly disclose any information to any other group or individual about users of this website.

Cookies
Third-party, session specific cookies may be used on the Legislature's website to improve the user experience and for basic web metrics. The Legislature does not use the information for other purposes.


Legislative Networking Group (LNET)

Membership of the Legislative Networking Group (LNET) includes legislative staff from the House, Senate, Revisor’s Office, the Legislative Reference Library, the Office of the Legislative Auditor and the Legislative Coordinating Commission. LNET manages the content and design of the Legislature’s website and acts as a forum for all legislative offices to share and discuss issues. The group meets year-round to continuously improve usability and content on the legislative web pages. LNET members act as consultants for one another on issues of technology.

While each body and office manage distinct websites, many legislative website activities are collaborative. Offices share data to make pages that include data from multiple offices, such as the combined calendar, the conference committee page, and MyBills.

LNET members work together to ensure that citizens can easily find needed information from the House, the Senate, and the joint departments on the Legislature’s website.


Linking Policy

The Minnesota Legislative website encourages linking to our information, provided the source of the information is clearly identified and the information is accurately updated. Links to outside websites are limited. The outside websites linked to from this website are not created, maintained, or endorsed by the Minnesota Legislature.


Retention Policy


Awards

2020

Online Democracy Award Image NALIT/LINCS Online Democracy Award The Online Democracy Award recognizes the following state legislative websites that stand out for making democracy user-friendly. "The Minnesota legislature's website was recognized for its “humongous” amount of content, which is organized and structured in a very user-friendly manner, according to the selection committee. The site designers did a great job focusing on members, bill search and statutes. “Considering how much information is on it, the website is almost deceptively simple while still being polished—but not overly fancy for fancy’s sake,” the committee said. "It’s really commendable."

2010

City Pages Best Local Website - Best Local Website - Minnesota State Legislature

2009

Website Accessibility Award - The Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans awarded the Minnesota Legislative Networking Group (LNET) its Website Access Award. According to Mary Hartnett, Commission Director, "The work [LNET has] done voluntarily to improve access on the web is impressive and shows a commitment to including all citizens in the legislative process."

2006

NALIT/LINCS Online Democracy Award - NCSL's Legislative Information and Communication Staff Section (LINCS) and National Association of Legislative Information Technology (NALIT)

The Online Democracy Award seeks to recognize a state legislative Web site that stands out for making democracy user-friendly. Minnesota's website was recognized for its "ease of navigation, advanced searchability and multitude of content."

2005

DGAA Award logo Digital Government Achievement Award - Center for Digital Government - Government to Government Category - Minnesota Legislative Networking Group, Minnesota Legislature Website
The Center for Digital Government is an international research and advisory institute on information technology in government and education.

2003

Best of the Web: State Legislature - Center for Digital Government
The Center for Digital Government, an international research and advisory institute on information technology in government and education holds this contest annually for different categories of government websites. The Minnesota Legislative website placed first in the State Legislatures category. A panel of IT experts judged each entry based on its innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy and functionality for improved citizen access.

Digital Legislatures Survey - 2nd Place Ranking - Center for Digital Government
The Center for Digital Government, an international research and advisory institute on information technology in government and education holds this contest annually. This award recognizes innovative use of technology to enhance services to its members and citizens, while increasing operational efficiencies.

2002

Digital Legislatures Award - 6th Place Ranking
The first annual Digital Legislatures Award from the Center for Digital Government and Government Technology magazine recognizes legislatures that have made it simpler for the public to participate in legislative activities.

Outside Contributors Award - Minnesota Association for Continuing Adult Education
This award is given in recognition of an individual or group which has done much for the adult education effort, but is not directly in the field. LNET, the Legislative website's collaborative implementation group received the award for providing legislative information in the most accessible way possible.

2001

"Best Site" for State Codes - American Association of Law Libraries The American Association of Law Libraries has selected the Minnesota Legislature's Web page for Minnesota Statutes, Session Laws and Rules as a "Best Site" for State Codes. State Codes (also called statutes or statutory codes) are the subject compilation of the laws passed by the legislature and currently in force. A subgroup of AALL selected our website after reviewing many comparable state websites.

Eagle E-government Award - Best Legislative Branch website
The Minnesota State Legislature website (http://www.leg.state.mn.us/) was the 2001 recipient of The Council of State Governments' Eagle E-government Award for Best Legislative Branch website. The Minnesota Legislature's website is a cooperative effort by many legislative offices. Sites were judged on ease of use, design, accessibility to the public, technological innovation, and how effectively the website streamlines government and delivers better customer service.

2000

Britannica.com editors have selected your site as one of the best on the Internet when reviewed for quality, accuracy of content, presentation and usability. As a result, we would like to offer you the opportunity to join in the launch of our new link exchange program. This program will give you and other top quality sites the opportunity to add a Britannica search box to your site and thereby provide your users with direct access to Britannica's awarding-winning content, including the trusted and authoritative Encyclopaedia Britannica.

1999

Legal Information Institute Honor Roll - State Statutes
The Minnesota Legislative site is included the LII's state law Honor Roll as of Sept. 1999.

Key features these sites share are: They offer up-to-date versions of the state's statutes. They can be browsed following the structural framework of the code (from title to chapter to section). They allow pin-point links to individual sections as well as links to larger units.

1998

MN Online
Mon, 20 Jul 1998
Congratulations!
Your website has been reviewed by our editors and will be featured in this week's MN Online. MN Online is a community-based website sponsored by MRNet and is available on the WWW at http://www.mnonline.org.

Links2Go Key Resource Award
Congratulations! Your page: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/ has been selected to receive a Links2Go Key Resource award in the Minnesota topic. The Links2Go Key Resource award is both exclusive and objective. Fewer than one page in one thousand will ever be selected for inclusion. Further, unlike most awards that rely on the subjective opinion of "experts," many of whom have only looked at tens or hundreds of thousands of pages in bestowing their awards, the Links2Go Key Resource award is completely objective and is based on an analysis of millions of web pages. During the course of our analysis, we identify which links are most representative of each of the thousands of topics in Links2Go, based on how actual page authors, like yourself, index and organize links on their pages. Links2Go Awards

1997

Editor's Choice Award - LookSmart
LookSmart, the next generation of Web directories committed to quality and superior user Web experience, is delighted to award you The Editor's Choice Award for the following sites: www.leg.state.mn.us/. This award conveys the highest standard for providing a useful and high quality Website.

1996

legal.online
legal.online's first-ever Best of the Web for Lawyers awards. The site was awarded honorable mention in the category Best Research Site, Laws. Winners were selected by a panel of lawyers who are Internet experts and innovators. Panel members were asked to apply three criteria: content, design and usefulness to lawyers. Your site and other award winners are reviewed in this month's special first-anniversary issue of legal.online.

1995

John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Award
From the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information for leadership in support of open government and the public's right to know. Presented March 16, 1995. Press Release