NASS Administrative Rules Organization Honors Utah Division of Administrative Rules as 2013
Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Award Winner
Utah's Division of Administrative Rules Recognized for eRules Administrative Rule Filing and Publication System

For Immediate Release
August 13, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC - Administrative Codes and Registers (ACR), a section of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), awarded Utah's Division of Administrative Rules with the 2013 Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award.  Presented as part of the association's annual meeting held on July 18-21 in Anchorage, Alaska, this year's Colborn award recognizes Utah's Division of Administrative Rules for its eRules system, a web-based filing and publication application. 

The eRules application improves access to regulatory information, the timeliness of that information, the efficiency of the process and the security of the data.

"I commend Utah's Division of Administrative Rules for using technology to improve the efficiency and transparency of the regulatory process," said Utah's Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell.  "The Division plays an important role in the state's efforts to make Utah a business and citizen-friendly place to work and live. This well-deserved award recognizes a small but dedicated staff at the Division."

ACR created the Robert J. Colborn, Jr. Innovation Award in July 2001, in honor of Robert J. Colborn, Jr., who served as the administrator of the Maryland Division of State Documents from 1974 through 2001 and founded ACR.  The Colborn Award annually recognizes a program that demonstrates creativity and innovation in providing public access to, or management of, administrative rules.  It honors a state agency that has made substantial contributions to the flow of information to the public by improving efficiency and delivery of services to citizens, businesses and other governmental entities.

"For a generation, the State of Maryland and Bob Colborn set the high water mark for all of the states in publishing administrative rules.  It is a great honor for Utah to be recognized by our peers in the other states for our efforts to improve the flow of and access to regulatory information," said Kenneth A. Hansen, director, who accepted the award on behalf of the Utah Division of Administrative Rules.

The award is not the first time that Utah has served as an innovative leader in the area of administrative rulemaking.  In 1994, the state created one of the nation's first completely electronic administrative rules filing processes. 

As a forerunner in establishing electronic filing, the state was selected by the Awards Committee for its on-going commitment to improve access to regulatory information while being cost-efficient and user-friendly to state agencies. 

2013 ACR Robert J. Colborn Jr. Committee

Chair: 
Elizabeth Palen, Executive Director Joint Commission on Administrative Rules Richmond, Virginia

Members: 
Jon Davidson, Administrative Rules Coordinator, Arkansas Secretary of State, Little Rock, Arkansas

Scott Cancelosi, Director, Public Services Division, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, Phoenix, Arizona

Past Colborn Award Recipients

2012 -- Award not issued

2011 -- Florida Division of Library and Information Services

2010 -- New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Administrative Law Division

2009 -- Virginia Division of Legislative Services

2008 -- Arkansas Secretary of State

2007 -- Colorado Secretary of State

2006 -- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

2004 -- Office of the Federal Register

2003 -- Missouri Secretary of State, Administrative Rules Division

2002 -- Virginia Department of Planning and Budget

For more information, visit http://www.administrativerules.org/.

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About NASS

Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services and digital archiving, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs. 

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