Deputy Interior Minister Brigitte Zypries, the government's Internet security chief, said this week in an interview with Reuters that it was unrealistic to try to shield Germans from outside Web sites, even though police do aim to stop homegrown Nazi and other offensive material, such as child pornography. The Hate Crimes Prevention Bill which strengthens federal laws on race and religion-based crimes, and extends them to cover sexual orientation, gender and disability won overwhelming support in the Senate last month, but hit procedural delays in the House. The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday announced two electronic-transaction initiatives that put the Internet to greater use in the collection of and disbursement of payments. Federal agencies will be able to link their own Web sites to Pay.gov, which will be supported by technology that will enable users to make payments to the government, including taxes, fees, licenses, and leases by credit card, electronic transfer or a number of other electronic methods. Though voters will not be voting online in the presidential election in November, they can register online in a project just launched.
Voters fill out an online form giving their driving licence number and address.
State officials then forward election paperwork by post for registrants to complete and sign. Main aim of the project is to tidy up the state s electoral roll. The project is the latest move in California s eGovernment programme, headed by secretary of state Bill Jones.