Stepped into the Information Age

Florida took a major leap into the information age in 1995 with the introduction of the Florida Communities Network, now Government Services DIRECT, a statewide information system designed to improve the way government delivers services to citizens.

Over the next three years, Government Services DIRECT developed into Florida's official state government Web site, offering citizens easy access to all of the information posted to the Internet by state agencies. Additional strides were made in using technology to increase access to government information and services as the Web site introduced a variety of on-line services to allow citizens to transact business directly with government agencies without ever leaving home. This made it possible for citizens to apply for jobs on-line, search an electronic directory for state and local government phone numbers, access a professional licensing database for information on the state's licensed professionals or download forms 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The site received national recognition when Government Technology named it Best Government Web Site in the nation in 1996 and 1997, and Info World magazine called it one of the top ten "most innovative" Web sites in the country. Bill Gates hailed the site in a 1997 speech before the National Governor's Association as an example of how state governments are using technology to improve efficiency and reach out to citizens in new ways.