FRANKFORT — The chances are pretty good that when you, for example, call your state senator to complain about paving that road to your house, a dutiful employee of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission writes down your message onto a green piece of paper and sends it to the lawmaker.The LRC goes through tens of thousands of these “green slips” each legislative session.But Kentuckians should expect an easier time getting their concerns to lawmakers beginning next year, when a new messaging system is scheduled to take effect.Marcia Seiler, acting director of the LRC, is replacing that system with an instant electronic messaging service that will connect constituents and legislators immediately.“I had heard from various staff and legislators, and in viewing the process, seen that we needed to modernize and make this mode of communication between citizens and legislators more modern, more efficient," she said recently.Critics say what the new system promises in efficiency will leave plenty to be desired in transparency: The messages are considered private legislative communications, so there’s still no way to see just how responsive the General Assembly is to Kentuckians’ concerns.The new system is supposed to take effect by January.
