And upgrades to the information that had already been available about politicians mean it is now possible to click on a States Member’s profile and be linked straight to their voting records, statements they have made and questions they have asked in the Assembly.
The changes are all part of a package of measures designed to revitalise the States Assembly website and make it more user-friendly.
The introduction of e-petitions, which Islanders can use to lobby the government with any gaining more than 5,000 automatically considered for debate by the Assembly, follows a proposition from Deputy Scott Wickenden.
Greffier of the States Mark Egan said: ‘We have redesigned our website and introduced modernised functionality to help make it quicker and easier for the people of Jersey to find out about the work of the States Assembly and States Members online.
‘E-petitions will allow Islanders to express their views to the Assembly and to ministers quickly and easily, helping everyone in the Island to play a part in Jersey’s democratic process.’
The project was overseen by the States Greffe and States’ digital delivery team and included workshops with members of the public. Research was also carried out into the websites of other parliaments around the world and politicians, the media and States departments shared their views.
The redesigned webpage – statesassembly.gov.je – now includes a new homepage featuring news stories and a calendar of States meetings and events. Order papers listing the items that will be discussed in the States that day and Hansard – the official record of States debates – are also easier to find and the site is now mobile-friendly. It also combined the Assembly website with that of Scrutiny.
And Islanders can now raise issues with the States via e-petitions, with those that attract more than 1,000 signatures automatically referred to the relevant minister for a response and those signed by more than 5,000 people considered for debate by politicians.
That facility is now available although certain aspects of it and the rest of the site are still being tested and improved.
To give feedback on the new design and features use the smiley faces in the bottom right hand corner of the website or email statesgreffe@gov.je.
A second phase of development will be carried out over the next year, during which time existing features will be improved and new features added based on public feedback.
