OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 7, 2005) - As the 2005 legislative session gets underway this week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives will also launch a new website with exciting new features for the state's citizens. The public can logon at http://www.okhouse.gov/ to see the new site.

"Our new website addresses the needs of Oklahomans who want to know more about what their representatives do at the state capitol," says Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville. "This is just one more step in changing the way the people's business is conducted here at the statehouse."

Hiett called the new website launch part of the new House Republican leadership's comprehensive Open House initiative unveiled last week. On February 4, Hiett and other Republican leaders released details about revolutionary reforms that will change the way the House conducts its day-to-day business. Raising ethical standards, increasing fiscal responsibility and creating a more thoughtful process in making new laws, the new rules will govern daily activities during the legislative session.

Hiett and his Republican leadership team took over management of the Oklahoma House after winning an historic November 2004 general election. Republicans begin the session in the majority for the first time in 80 years at the state capitol. Hiett said the old website reflected an outdated way of doing business at the House of Representatives. The launch of the new website goes hand in hand with new rules that require posting of information about committee votes and digital archiving of House floor activities.

"We're pulling back the curtain now, letting the public take a closer look at what happens here, and the new website is an important part of that process," said Hiett. "The new site will be easy to read and easy to navigate. We want members of the public to visit the site often, and to use it."

The new website comes just days after Hiett announced that the public, media and lawmakers will have wireless broadband access on the House side of the capitol building for the first time. The new technology will create a more efficient legislative system, according to Hiett, allowing lawmakers to work from many locations on the capitol's House side.

Hiett said the fresh web design also offers a more professional web presence to the public. Other new and improved features:

• An improved search engine function: More prominent and easier to locate on the home page.
• Better graphics design: In contrast to the old site, the redesigned site uses crisp colors and a clean layout that reflect the new era at the Oklahoma House.
• A new, simple navigational button menu with fly out submenus, meaning users don't have to "drill down" to find sub-pages within the site.
• More prominent placement of the House media division, allowing news outlets throughout the state and across the nation to find the information they need fast.
• Coming soon: a comprehensive content management system that will allow updating of pages, while maintaining a consistent look and feel throughout the site.