It has been an exciting time for those of us interested in international legislative institutions! This month, we highlight Canada’s experience with orientation for newly elected members and modernization efforts in Brazil. And we round up articles, events, and videos on legislative modernization topics ranging from AI to public participation.

Please forward this to any colleagues you believe would benefit, and feel free to reach out! We are always happy to connect with fellow enthusiasts of legislative institutions around the world.

Beatriz Rey, Ph.D.

Dispatch from Canada: Members’ Orientation Program

The Canadian House of Commons’ Members’ Orientation Program provides newly elected legislators with timely information about the services and tools available to them. Through meetings with experts from the House of Commons’ administration, learning activities, and information sessions, legislators get familiar with their new roles in the first days and weeks following their election, as they begin their work.

Content covers three areas:

parliamentary (e.g., how parliament and parliamentary procedure works and how members can participate in parliamentary activity),
managerial (e.g., setting up an office, including finances and staffing considerations), and
representative (e.g., interacting with constituents and supporting them with their requests)

The program is held after each general election and by-election during a given parliament. The House of Commons also offers a smaller program for reelected Members through which they validate information and receive administrative updates.

The guiding principles of the program — learning-centered, consistent, timely, and flexible — may be applicable and adaptable to other institutional contexts. Indeed, the House of Commons regularly shares information about it with colleagues from other legislatures and is open to doing so in the future. We welcome you to share your own orientation experiences for potential inclusion in upcoming newsletters.

Modernization Updates: The State Assembly of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

In Brazil, the State Assembly of Rio Grande do Norte hosts E-Legis, a system to “manage the entire cycle of the legislative process, making it completely electronic, from the conception of proposals in parliamentary offices to their voting in sessions.” Its most innovative features are tools that effectively connect legislators to the public. For instance, a legislator preparing a visit to her electoral district finds readily available data on all work she has done to benefit it, including earmarks and votes. Legislators can also access their audiovisual activity from committee and floor activity to edit and send to constituents through WhatsApp or social media.

On Our Radar

IPU on Generative AI in Legislatures

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) released a guide for parliaments on “Using Generative AI,” which calls explicitly for a “step-by-step, risk-based approach.”

Portuguese-Speaking Parliaments Discuss AI Deployments

Bússola Tech held an event on AI in Portuguese-Speaking Parliaments with participation from Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, and Portugal. Speakers reported on how their institutions are adopting AI and shared concerns, approaches, and “the need to shift planning gears.”

Italy’s Alberto Mencarelli Addresses Attention vs. Refinement with AI

Italian Parliamentary Official Alberto Mencarelli offers a parliamentary spin on the landmark paper “Attention Is All You Need,” drawing parallels between AI's “attention” mechanism and parliament's “refinement” process and discussing how both prioritize and contextualize information for nuanced outcomes. He explores AI's potential to enhance legislative workflows, inclusivity, and understanding of complex discussions, while addressing ethical and procedural concerns.

UK Parliament Launches New Information and Digital Strategy

The UK Parliament announced a new Information and Digital Strategy for 2024-2027, integrating strategic goals for information, data, and digital into a unified approach. This strategy, developed through a collaborative effort across Parliament, focuses on four main themes: Transform, Modernize, Enable, and Protect, aiming to optimize parliamentary digital services and enhance cybersecurity.

European Parliament Announces “Archibot 3.0”

Bússola Tech’s Luís Kimaid provides a deep dive into the European Parliament’s initiative to digitize and make its historical archives accessible on its “Archibot” platform, leveraging automated technologies, including: categorizing and summarizing historical data. The newly released “Archibot 3.0” uses retrieval augmented generation (RAG) to “combine the strengths of large language models (LLMs) with the ability to reference authoritative knowledge bases, resulting in a more accurate and contextually relevant search experience for users.”

New Video Helps Indian Nonprofits Engage with the Lawmaking Process

India Development Review (IDR) created a video expanding on a 2023 article by Civis Founder Antaraa Vasudev on “How can nonprofits ensure people’s participation in lawmaking?”

International Parliamentarians Gather in Washington

Parliamentarians from around the world convened in Washington, DC for the second annual Global Innovations in Democracy: Parliamentary Exchange (GID), hosted by the Ohio State University’s Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability (IDEA) and the National Civic League's Center for Democracy Innovation. Discussions ranged from innovative public engagement strategies to citizens assemblies and AI. POPVOX Foundation Cofounder and Executive Director Marci Harris summarized the main takeaways.

Report from the US

OAS Legislative Engagement Act Renews US Engagement with ParlAmericas

Senators Ben Cardin [D, MD] and Roger Wicker [R, MS] recently welcomed increased US engagement with ParlAmericas as a result of the Organization of American States Legislative Engagement Act. This law, which they championed, aims to boost US participation in the OAS, enhancing cooperation and dialogue among countries in North and South America.

US House Releases GenAI Guardrails Guidance

In its fifth “AI Flash Report,” the US House of Representatives Committee on House Administration (CHA) announced the establishment of AI guardrails, the appointment of a new AI Coordinator, and the establishment of an AI Center of Excellence.

CHA staffer, Jessica Smith, shared an event template with Bússola Tech that other parliaments can use for establishing their own guidance. “This event template allows for a wide-ranging, two-hour discussion about how much authority the Parliament might delegate to AI technologies in the pursuit of operational efficiencies. It is intended to be customized and adapted as appropriate by other parliamentary staff who are exploring this question.”

House Democracy Partnership Shares Insights on New Member Orientation in Guatemala

In partnership with the International Republican Institute, a US House Democracy Partnership delegation, featuring former Reps. David Price and Tim Petri, George Washington University’s Dr. Casey Burgat, and CHA Deputy Staff Director Janet Schwalb, shared insights with the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala for the development of a new Member orientation program.

House Democracy Partnership Discusses Parliamentary Research in Sri Lanka

In collaboration with the National Democratic Institute, a delegation from the US House Democracy Partnership, including legislative researchers from the US Congressional Research Service and the editor of the UK House of Commons Library, engaged with the Parliamentary Research Division of Sri Lanka. This technical assistance consultancy aimed to bolster research capabilities amidst Sri Lanka's economic challenges, focusing on improving information access and policymaking efficiency.

Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL) Highlights Impact

In testimony before the US House of Representatives' Appropriations Subcommittee, Jane Sargus, Executive Director of the Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL), highlighted the success of the Open World program, which facilitates international exchanges to foster citizen diplomacy and has expanded to include 24 countries. Sargus emphasized the program's impact on US communities and international relations, detailing how it enhances mutual understanding and supports Congressional diplomacy.

Upcoming Events

TICTeC to Feature Session on Parliamentary Monitoring

The recently announced schedule for MySociety’s TICTeC (The Impact of Civic Technologies Conference) — in London and online June 12-13 — includes a session on parliamentary monitoring featuring speakers from the US, Thailand, and Brazil.

Digital Natives and Caribbean Parliaments on IPU’s Agenda

In late May, IPU will hold an event to discuss how digital natives (those born or brought up during the age of digital technology) can help parliaments become more transparent, accountable, and open. Also in May, it will hold a sem i nar with the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago to showcase developments, promote dialogue, and highlight good practices of activities in the Caribbean.

Wroxton Workshop Papers Announced

The agenda for the 16th Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians, to be held on July 27-28, 2024 at Wroxton College, lists a diverse range of presentations. Papers will explore current issues in legislative-executive relations and public engagement in governance.

Submissions Open for World Forum for Democracy

The World Forum for Democracy is now accepting submissions from initiatives to enhance democracy and contribute to sustainable peace. The event will happen in Strasbourg from November 6-8 and will focus on elections, disinformation, and citizen engagement for democratic renewal. Submissions can be sent to forum_democracy@coe.int until May 17. For more information, please consult this link.

Call for Proposals for FWD50

FDW50 has also opened a call for proposals for talks focused on policymaking, technology, ethics, and invention. Public servants, technologists, and civic innovators can suggest workshops, skill sessions, case studies, content targeting an executive audience, and ideas for interactive sessions and debates. The event will take place in Ottawa, Canada, and online, on October 10 and November 4-6. Submissions can be sent until July 31. More information can be found on the event’s website.

Tell us your stories!

POPVOX Foundation wants to learn about your experiences in parliaments across the globe. What are examples of progress in your legislative institutions that are happening quietly and would serve as positive examples to staffers from other countries? Don’t hesitate to reach out with your stories: beatriz@popvox.org.

About POPVOX Foundation

POPVOX Foundation is a US-based nonprofit with a mission to inform and empower people and make government work better for everyone. Its dedicated team of former Congressional staffers are united by an enduring commitment to democracy and the legislative process. Through initiatives like the Comparative Legislative Strengthening Project, POPVOX Foundation connects legislative modernizers around the world through a shared passion for public service that knows no borders.

ModParl: May Edition