I’ve just released v1.0 of the Richmond Sunlight API. It’s JSON-based, simple, and straightforward. This turns Richmond Sunlight into a web-based service that allows any application or website to get data about the General Assembly automatically and basically seamlessly. The most exciting bit, I think, is the Photosynthesis API. Now any individual or organization can track a bunch of bills, and then display the status of those bills on their own website (along with their own commentary on each bill). Lots of interest groups do this sort of thing already, but they have to update the listing manually as bills advance. That’s laborious and awkward. Now jQuery and a half hour of free time is all that’s necessary for interest groups to have a slick new feature on their website to keep stakeholders posted.
Here’s hoping folks put this to work.