Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
Providing services that help our residents and local businesses access the services they need and achieving greater efficiency are the cornerstones of our state e-government strategy. New services are added each month and this week, I wanted to highlight several new services available around the clock to assist Nebraskans and those who do business with the state.
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is one of several agencies to offer new services online. Last month, the department launched a redesigned Web site, www.dmv.ne.gov, which features new services ranging from purchasing specialty license plates online and practice exams for obtaining a driver license, as well as offering a calculator to estimate taxes owed on new vehicle purchases.
One of the new features of the DMV’s Web site allows Nebraska drivers to reinstate a suspended license online rather than traveling to Lincoln to do so in person, which is a prime example of the practical services many state agencies are developing.
At the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), the department has unveiled a new subscription service providing instant, automated email or notification to a wireless device on 175 different topics ranging from Medicaid provider bulletins to job openings, as well as children available for adoption in Nebraska.
Emergency announcements have proven popular request in recent days with severe storms tracking through our state. Within hours of adding information on storm recovery to the DHHS Web site, more than 1,700 subscribers requested alerts on emergency information. This is one example of how DHHS is becoming more accountable and more responsive to Nebraskans by helping residents stay connected to information important to them. Registration for web alerts is available online at www.dhhs.ne.gov.
Many state agencies track professional certifications and the DHHS Web site gives health care practitioners the opportunity to renew more than a dozen professional licenses online. Citizens can also use the site to verify that health care and service providers are licensed to do business in the state.
Businesses are required to report hazardous chemicals stored in facilities, and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has developed an online reporting system to help businesses and DEQ compile and track information. Available at www.deq.ne.gov, the online form is used by more than 75 percent of all businesses filing reports. In addition to saving paper and postage, electronic filing reduces time spent compiling information, which is shared electronically with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local emergency managers.
The JobLink Web site, hosted by Nebraska Workforce Development, helps match job seekers and employers in communities across the state. The site helps users build a resume, search and apply for available jobs whether they’re at home or one of the 21 Career Centers located all across Nebraska. It also serves as a free resource for employers to post job openings, search resumes and contact potential candidates.
JobLink has been used by more than 15,000 registered employers to list 25,000 openings. More than 180,000 job seeker accounts have been created with 38,000 resumes posted. Available at http://nejoblink.dol.state.ne.us/, it is a good resource for finding out about new job openings in Nebraska.
These are just a few examples of the more than 300 services Nebraska state government has made available and accessible to our residents, travelers and business partners.
I want to thank all the web developers and staff throughout state government who support the development of these and many other online services. The goal of being more accessible is what drives new developments in our e-government efforts. Their innovation is helping all areas of state government better serve the people of Nebraska.
