Indiana lobbyists can register online

Indiana Lobby Registration Commission

A new feature on Access Indiana, Indiana's state World Wide Web portal, enables lobbyists to register and report activities and gifts online.

The application, launched late last month by the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission, saves the department from manually handling filings from more than 1,300 lobbyists annually.

All lobbyists that work with the General Assembly must register with the commission and report all activities and gifts. Before the Web-based application, which automatically creates files in the ILRC office, forms were mailed or hand-delivered.

"This application really helps the agency. It's a very labor-intensive process," said Tara Powell, e-government specialist for Access Indiana. "There are a lot of administrative savings."

The application is password-protected and is accessible only by lobbyists or their lawyers. However, Powell said that the application will be expanded in three weeks so the public can submit queries online to follow lobbyists' activities.