RulesNews

eRules is the application that state agencies in Utah use to file administrative rules with the Division of Administrative Rules.  The new version of eRules went live on July 16, 2009, replacing the original application that has been in operation since September 2001.  Rule filers may access the new system by going to http://erules.rules.utah.gov/.

eRules v. 2 functions much like the old version.  The Division’s primary reasons for upgrading the system were to replace outdated hardware and software, address bugs that had developed in the old system, and improve security.

The rule forms contain some new fields.  The “Aggregate anticipated cost or savings to small business” is now reported in a separate field.  Radio boxes associated with each of the “Aggregate anticipated cost or savings” boxes permit the agency to indicate if there is an affect on any of the specifically identified groups.  The department head’s comments regarding the impact the rule may have on business is now followed with a box for the department head’s name.

Changes have also been made to the e-mail notifications that the system generates.  Specifically, once an agency responds to a request for correction, an e-mail will confirm receipt of the correction.

Documentation and guides for eRules v. 2 are still under development.  If you have questions about the application, please call Mike Broschinsky at 801-538-3003, or Nancy Lancaster at 801-538-3218.

The Division welcomes agency feedback about the new system.  While great effort has been made to test the new system and identify problems before its release, it is possible that agency filers may experience some problems.  If problems occurs, please contact the Division as soon as possible.

The Division gratefully acknowledges the efforts of individuals at the Department of Technology Services who worked very hard to make this application a success.

The release of eRules does not diminish access to regulatory information.  The public still has free access to all proposed, emergency, and effective rules through the Division’s regular web site — http://www.rules.utah.gov/ .

After significant effort, eRules version 2.0 will launch on Thursday, July 16, 2009. This new release replaces eRules version 1 that agencies have used since September 1, 2001, to file administrative rules with the Division.  Agencies filing rules on or after July 16 will use the new application.

The Division has prepared a web page containing links to several screen shots that provide a sense of the application. The address for the information web page is  http://www.rules.utah.gov/eRules/eRulesWelcome.htm.  The web page  also includes information about accessing a test version of the application.

The Division welcomes agency feedback.  Agencies may contact the Division through GroupWise at “Administrative Rules” or by calling 801-538-3003.

If you are getting ready to file a rule, stop and look at the size of the file. If the rule text is more than 60 kilobytes or about four pages, please follow these simple instructions or call Administrative Rules (801-538-3218) before you attempt to attach the text to your filing. Thanks!

Stop! Read this! Rule text that is over 60 kilobytes (roughly four pages) in size has a high probability of crashing eRules. Check the size of the file (you can do this by navigating to the file using My Computer in Windows, selecting it, and viewing the file details).

For large text, follow this procedure: 1) create a file containing the words “This is a placeholder for the text for RXXX-YYYY”; 2) save this file in RTF, and upload it with the rule analysis; and 3) send an email message with the real text attached to the Rules e-mail box (rules “at” utah.gov).

Finally, eRules is being reprogrammed. The Legislature appropriated one-time funding to update the application agencies use to file rules, and that the division uses to publish rules. The eRules application went online 09/01/2001. For some time now, it has been showing its age (but haven’t we all?). Employees from the Department of Technology Services are doing the development work for the new version. The effort is well into the design phase. If you have suggestions or concerns about the new version of eRules, please contact Ken Hansen (801-538-3777).

As some of you have no doubt noticed, eRules doesn’t always behave the way we would like it to. Text can’t be attached, forms can’t be saved, fortunes can’t be told (no, wait, that’s eCrystalBall). In short, sometimes eRules just makes us want to scream. Here are some of the more common problems we have noticed, and some suggestions on how to keep them from forcing us into a deep, dank pit of despair.

1) Sometimes users will receive “Page cannot be displayed” errors when attaching text. There are two usual causes for this: a) a Word or WordPerfect version of the text was uploaded instead of an RTF version; or b) the text file is too big.

If you have received a “Page cannot be displayed” error when attaching text, the first thing you should do is to make sure that the text you are attaching really is in RTF format. I mean really sure. I mean so sure that you’re even more sure of the text being in RTF than of the sun rising in the morning. Really sure. Once you’re sure the text is in RTF, close your web browser, open it again, log into eRules again, and try the upload again.

If the text is in RTF (because you made really sure it was) and the upload still fails, then check the size of the file (you can do this by navigating to the file using My Computer in Windows, selecting it, and viewing the file details). Is the size of the file over 60 kilobytes? If yes, then the size of the file is the difficulty. eRules has been experiencing more and more problems with large files recently.

Follow this procedure: 1) create a file containing the words “This is a placeholder for the text for RXXX-YYYY”; 2) save this file in RTF, and upload it with the rule analysis; 3) send an email message with the real text attached to the Rules email box.

If you have just entered an enormous amount of text in the form and haven’t saved as draft to this point, see 3) below.

2) Sometimes users will receive “Page cannot be displayed” errors when submitting corrections to a filing. This error is typically associated with a certain degree of panic (identifiable by increased heart rate and an overwhelming desire to throw the PC out the window). In the immortal words of Douglas Adams “Don’t panic!”

Close your web browser, open it again, log into eRules again, go into the filing and check if the red banner correction notice still appears and whether the changes you made are still there. In all likelihood the banner will be gone and the changes will be saved.

3) Sometimes users will receive “Page cannot be displayed” errors when… well, just because. The moon is in the seventh house (apologies to the Fifth Dimension), the earth tilted on its access, eRules is simply having a bad day and wants to take it out on someone, who knows? This error is most annoying when it comes after you have entered the most scintillating, well-crafted, graceful prose imaginable in response to the cost box questions.

If you haven’t been saving as draft regularly, then you are in a sticky situation. Click on the browser’s back button. Yes, really, though in all other cases you should avoid using the browser buttons for navigation in eRules. Pressing the back button should retrieve the form you were working on with the text still in the boxes. Copy and paste the contents of the boxes to a Word, WordPerfect, or Notepad document. Then close the web browser and start again.

Remember:

• Always regularly use the “Save as draft button”
• Never use the browser back buttons to navigate in eRules (except as I suggested above)
• Always call if there is anything that doesn’t seem right
• Never assume that technology never fails

The Division of Administrative Rules is requesting additional funding for FY 2007 to address these problems with eRules. We’ll keep you posted on developments.