The ability to create a complete electronic file was the main reason for parliament to begin the search for a new solution. Additionally, there was a desire to work on a platform that incorporated the latest technology and provided greater ease of use. For this reason, parliament decided to switch its application to the electronic petition process by DATAGROUP.

DATAGROUP has many years of experience in the development and maintenance of electronic petition processes. In the footsteps of the Parliaments of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz, the Bavarian Parliament is now the third parliament to implement the DATAGROUP petition process, based on Microsoft Office SharePoint.

The business process of ”petitions” functions mostly electronically in the Bavarian Parliament. Pre- and post-preparation of committee meetings that handle petitions are also supported.

During design and implementation of the application, there was a strong focus on the security of the data stored in the petition process. As a result, the system has a detailed underlying authorization concept which makes the system accessible only to authorized users with certain rights within the process.

The advantages of the new process benefit both the residents of Bavaria as well as parliament:

• The electronic petition file serves as “central storage” in which all information regarding a petition is electronically archived. Through the help of a history, the process procedure and current status can be tracked and retraced at any time.
• Through the electronic petition file, all information is available to all employees at any time. Information can be passed on more efficiently to petitioners and representatives.
• Easy retrieval of petitions via a capable search function.
• A simple, clearly-defined user interface: every user only sees information relevant to him/her, but may have access to all information as necessary.
• Convenient employee support in the creation of outgoing letters and agendas.
• Optimal integration into the existing IT environment of parliament as well as Microsoft Office products.
• Use of central data pools.
• Support of individual and mass petitions.

Contact

The Bavarian Parliament is one of the highest government bodies of Bavaria. It is the epicenter of the political system of the free state. According to the Bavarian State Constitution, all citizens of Bavaria have the right to contact parliament with requests or complaints in writing, i.e., through a petition. Every election period, the Bavarian Parliament receives more than 15,000 petitions. They are processed by the committee for input and complaints or in one of the 12 specialty committees of parliament. Every entered petition triggers a specific procedure in parliament – the petition process.

www.bayern.landtag.de