After more than five years without a significant update, the Alabama Legislature is rolling out a new website in the new year.
Statehouse officials announced the update Tuesday, with expectation to roll the new site out to the public with a preview session on Jan. 4 and training sessions for staff.
“We think it’s a lot easier to navigate,” Senate Secretary Pat Harris said. “There will be the ability to create your own tracking list. Before, a lot of people were using third-party groups to track specific pieces of legislation — now you’ll be able to do that straight through the website.”
Harris also said instead of having to navigate three different websites for the different divisions of the Legislature, everything will be accessible from one site.
It will also be more navigable for the live streaming of sessions and committee meetings.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve increased the ability to livestream committee meetings and other meetings that go on outside the chambers,” Harris said. “It will also have a kind of different look on your phone and a new screen appearance just for mobile phones. You used to have to navigate across the page. But the new site builds it into a tower so it’s easier to locate.”
Although the site is getting a major facelift, the address will remain www.legislature.state.al.us
The Alabama Legislature’s new website preview will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4, in room 200 in the Alabama Statehouse. It can be viewed online at the Legislature website by clicking the Livestreaming square and clicking the 200 Committee Room link to view.
The changes are launching a week ahead of the regular session that will begin on Jan. 11. Harris said Statehouse officials wanted to give the public time to get acquainted with the site before session begins.
