West said every year the sites with the lowest rankings seem to be the court sites, and he doesn't understand why they're not getting better.

"I think the problem is that courts are more insular, and they don't define public outreach as a really important mission for them, so they don't really have much in the way of online services," West said. "They don't put a lot of information online. They need to get a lot better at it."

The survey found that most of the state Web sites prominently display key features and services on the main page or they provide a link to online services.

The TexasOnline portal site has a simple, effective navigation system and an exhaustive list of more than 500 online services contained within its Web sites -- the most of all sites assessed, the survey found. The electronic services are divided into 15 categories and organized alphabetically, allowing for quick access to the most-wanted services, including online sales tax payment, vehicle registration renewals and searchable license records databases.

In addition, TexasOnline features audio and video clips on the majority of its Web site, as well as a Spanish version of nearly every page, West said.