Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

LML: Legislative Markup Language?

Author:Erik Neu
Posted:10/15/1999; 6:39:45 AM
Topic:LML: Legislative Markup Language?
Msg #:12063
Prev/Next:12062 / 12064

Has anyone ever thought about the potential application of XML to drafting legislation? This thought just popped into my head as I was reading the following paragraph in an article in Slate:

>>The video poker industry finessed itself into existence. South Carolina law clearly banned gambling. But in 1986, as a favor to a big local businessman, a state senator stuck a tiny amendment in the back of a gigantic budget bill. The amendment erased two words--"or property"--from an obscure South Carolina law. It passed without any debate--public or private--and without legislators knowing what they had done. It legalized video gambling, allowing game owners to pay jackpots to video poker winners. It wasn't until 1989 that the state even realized what had happened.>>

I'm just thinking off the top of my head. If the draft legislation were constructed and maintained as structured text, you could track all kinds of things, especially pertaining to change history, and authorship. It might be easier to notice seemingly trifling changes made secretively in the dark of night. I really haven't thought much about this one, it just sort of came to me.

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