Legislation News

From Carol Russo

4.7.08

Library Day 2008

Carol reported that the Florida Legislature cut the 32.9 million dollar budget approved for libraries in 2007 by 4%. The Legislature is currently working on 2008 budget for state aid to libraries. The Senate is projected a 10% cut to approximately 29 million and the House is projecting a 30% cut to approximately 22 million. Resulting loss to Broward County Libraries could be several hundred thousand dollars.

4.2.07

Library Day 2007

1. Library Day was Tuesday March 20, 2007. Eileen Cobb, Hayley St.John-Ayre, Carol, and others attended. Eileen Cobb took lots of pictures. Morning reception was very poorly attended. Carol thinks the event will probably return to a 2 day session in 2008 as one day was very tiring, especially for older volunteers.

2. Carol reported that Lisa Manners is being appointed vice chair of FLA Legislative Committee. Tom Sloan is chair of the committee.

3. SB 1804 – Sexual Offenders in Libraries drafted by Senator Posey does not have a House companion and Carol feels it is unlikely to pass.

4. The legislature is looking into rewriting FL statute 257, which deals with equalization of grant funds to libraries based on population. Currently counties with fewer citizens get a special cut of library funds available under assumption that those counties do not have citizen tax base to support libraries. The rewrite would cut the percentage of funds set aside for this purpose. Significantly the House Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council meets on Wednesday, April 4th. The Council is the next stop for HB 801, the State Aid revision bill. Hopefully HB 801 will be on the calendar for the 4th.

5. SB 2560 and HB 391 – Early Voting – The Senate bill have not been heard. The House bill has been reported favorable out of its first committee. It appears unlikely that the bill will make it through the legislative process.

6. Appropriations – The House cut $1.3 million from State Aid to Public Libraries (from $331,999,233 to $30,670,289) and cut MLC funding from $2.4 million to $1.2 million. The Senate left funding as it was. The Senate hosts the appropriations process this year, so hopefully cuts made in House will not stand. Some of the cuts proposed by the House would eliminate entire units in other areas of the Department of State.

12.7.05

Governor announces new Secretary of State

Governor Jeb Bush today announced the appointment of Sue McCourt Cobb as Secretary of the Florida Department of State. She replaces Glenda Hood who left to pursue other opportunities.

"Sue's extensive experience in international relations is an asset to our state," Governor Bush said. "With her guidance, Florida will conduct another seamless election in 2006 and expand our international profile."

Cobb has a distinguished career in public service and the private sector. Most recently, she served as United States Ambassador to Jamaica from 2001 to 2005. As Ambassador, she was a passionate advocate for our country while working to build strong relations between the United States and Jamaica.

"I am honored to be a part of Governor Bush's team and look forward to building on the significant achievements of Secretary Hood," said Cobb. "This is a tremendous opportunity for continuing the progress this administration has made in improving the election process, expanding the arts in our communities and building Florida's international reputation."

Prior to being named Ambassador, Cobb had an extensive legal, business and public service career, including serving as interim Secretary of the Florida Lottery in 1999. Her public sector experience also includes three terms as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank in Miami and participation in numerous non-profit organizations. In the private sector, Cobb led several successful Florida corporations and law firms.

Cobb was born in Los Angeles and moved to Florida in 1972. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and her Juris Doctor from University of Miami. Cobb has been admitted to the Bar Associations of the United States Supreme Court, State of Florida, State of Colorado and District of Columbia. She will begin her new role as Secretary of the Department of State on January 3, 2006.

11.21.05

FL Secretary of State Resigns from Office

Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood has announced she will step down from her position effective November 21st.

Ms. Hood, whose duties as Secretary included functioning as the head of the Florida Department of Library and Information Services, cited a need to return to her home and family in Orlando, and plans to explore other areas of public service, as reasons for her decision. The official press release announcing her resignation is available at The Department of State's official web site.

9.9.2005

Information on Library Damage in Louisiana and How to Help

I have combined 2 emails from the FLA Executive Director regarding both damage to libraries in Louisiana and how you can help, if you wish....

The information below is from the Exec. Dir. of the Louisiana Library Association in response to a question about library needs:

It's too early for equipment needs, or for much of the assessment. I do like the adopt a library idea, but it's still too early. Worst hit areas are:

• St Bernard Parish Libraries (we have parish-wide systems) are completely destroyed, still under 8-10 feet of water. School year canceled.
• Plaquemines Parish - no report yet because the parish is closed, but the whole parish is flooded http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050908/ts_latimes/stringofdeltavillagesgone Six of nine schools flooded (probably destroyed).
• Washington Parish - headquarters library destroyed, very large tree crashed through; with no roof, massive water damage. 90% of parish without electricity.

Greater New Orleans (the components of the 1.4 million population) includes Jefferson & Orleans Parish and Slidell:

• St Tammany - "only" the Slidell branch (large one) flooded, 5-6 feet of water.
• Jefferson Parish - still no assessment reported, flooding widespread after the levee breech
• Orleans Parish - assessments still coming in, and changing as they go. Some earlier reports of damage turned out to be false.

And, please remember Mississippi (I don't know the extent of Alabama damage) The coastal towns of Bay St Louis, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, etc are matchsticks, including their libraries. If the levees hadn't broken, they'd be the headline news. First 90 miles from the coast have heavy wind/rain damage

The information below is about a fund for libraries damaged by Katrina that the Texas Library Association has established.

--- Patricia Smith wrote:

Online contributions can now be made to help the rebuilding efforts of libraries in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The Texas Library Association will accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.

You may designate which state you would like your donation to benefit, and 100% of your donation will be sent to either the state library agency or library association in that state.

Thanks and best wishes, Pat

Patricia H. Smith
Executive Director
Texas Library Association
3355 Bee Cave Road, Suite 401
Austin, TX 78746-6763
512/328-1518 (voice)
512/328-8852 (fax)
800/580-2852
pats@txla.org

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8.24.05

Valparaiso Library - Library Director Reinstated
Bob Gorin, Okaloosa Public Library Cooperative Coordinator

(Ed. Note: Sue Martin was orignally suspended from her directorship after city officials learned that a registered sex offender and three boys allegedly used library computers to access pornography. Officials believed she failed to do enough to keep patrons from using the computers to find such material despite the library's public use policy and regular "walkthroughs" and other computer monitoring by library staff. See stories on News4Jax.com and ALA's website for more information.)

Dear Friends

First let me thank you for all the phone calls and e-mails that I have received in support of Sue Martin, and apologize for not returning your calls. I've been either on the phone or at meetings non stop for the past two weeks and am looking forward returning to a normal routine.

I am extremely pleased to share that the Valparaiso City Commission voted 4-1 last night to dismiss all charges against library director Sue Martin and have reinstated her as library director effective immediately. The commissioner who brought the charges against Sue will no longer be responsible for the library or serve on my governing board. A new city commissioner who has long been a strong library supporter will be responsible for the library. Computers will be placed back in the library this week. In Valparaiso, the commissioners are responsible for overseeing city departments. This means that the library director's supervisor is an elected official.

About 150 people attended the meeting last night with others being turned away. The elected official who brought the charges again Sue refused to be sworn in or to testify. The meeting was a quasi judicial hearing.

The meeting was covered by the local news and area newspapers.

Once again, thank you for all of your support during these challenging times.

Bob

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5.12.05

2005 Legislative Session Report
May 8, 2005

Below is a report from Charlie Parker, chair of FLA's Legislative Committee concerning the 2005 Florida Legislative Session, which ended late Friday evening. Items that directly affect libraries in Broward are the defeat of the two filtering bills; constructions grants of $150,000 for the new/replacement Lauderdale Lakes Branch Library and $500,000 for the new Miramar Branch Library. State Aid remains the same as this year at $31.8, so we will receive a reduced amount of State Aid next year because more libraries will share in the same amount. This means $466,622 less for Broward County Library. ---CR

The legislature adjourned late Friday night [May 6]. Presented here is information about some of the library related appropriations issues and substantive bills considered this session. Library related sections of the appropriations bill are provided at the end of the report. Most K-12, community college, and state university library funding issues do not appear separately in the budget; some are included in larger appropriations and some are subject to decisions at the institution level.

This the 6th year that filtering bills have been defeated. Thanks to past FLA Legislative Committee chairs Susan Dillinger and Ann Williams and FLA Legislative Advocate Jody Fitzgerald whose hard work and fierce determination are largely responsible for our successful opposition to the filtering mandate. And special thanks to all who have called or written legislators about this issue.

With respect to the appropriations and other bills that passed, the Governor has 15 consecutive days from the time that they are presented to sign or veto them before they become law without his signature. It sometimes takes up to two weeks for the Legislature to present the appropriations bill. The Governor can veto single lines or specific appropriations in the budget.

Florida Library Association President Nancy Pike, already at work on next year's library appropriations, is requesting appointments with the Secretary of State and Governor during the summer.

An FLA Lobbyist Selection Committee will soon interview possible lobbyists to replace Jody Fitzgerald who is retiring this year. It is the FLA Board's intent to have a new lobbyist by the first of July.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to FLA's advocacy efforts this year!

Charlie Parker -
Chair, FLA Legislative Committee

Appropriations

• State Aid to Public Libraries - $31.8 million (same as current year)
• Public Library Construction - $7.5 million - $6.5 million is provided for the thirteen highest ranked projects and $1 million for projects that had previously been awarded grants that were subsequently withdrawn or vacated (list attached). Additionally, $2.5 million was appropriated for a Library/Renovation Expansion Project in Bay County; $431,779 for Trinity, Pasco County; and $150,000 for Lauderdale Lakes Educational & Cultural Resource Center.
• Community Libraries in Caring - $200,000
• Library Cooperatives - $1.8 million, a $300,000 increase
• K-12 Access to FEL & Gale electronic resources - A request for $750,000 that was included in the Governor's budget was not appropriated.
• State Universities - Funds for library programs are not separately broken out in the budget. $4 million initially sought for electronic resources was not appropriated.
• Community Colleges - $8,022,816 was appropriated for CCLA. $3.9 million sought for electronic resources was not appropriated.
• Public Schools - Most funding for school media programs is not separately broken out in the budget. A project was funded at $821,249 that provides for an electronic web-based library pilot project for high schools (see full proviso later in this report). The expectation is that the project will go to Questia (see http://www.Questia.com).

Bills

• SB 722 & HB 611 Relating to Internet Screening in Public Library -This would have required public libraries to filter Internet service. Both bills died in Committee.
• SB 966 & HB 657 Public Library Construction Grants - This would have helped rural libraries reach the .6 sq. ft. per capita standard. The House Bill passed the House and died in the Senate. The Senate bill died in Committee.
• SB 2152 & HB 1305 - Department of State - Essentially a housekeeping bill, this will allow the State Library to establish a Citizen Support Organization, provides for responsibilities of State Librarian, and designates the Division of Library & Information Services as state library administrative agency. HB 1305 passed both Houses. Related public records bills that would have exempted identity of donors to Department of State CSOs, died in committee.
• SB 2678 & HB 1381- Sanibel Public Library / Lee County - This creates the Sanibel Public Library District, an independent special taxing district, subject to voter approval. HB 1381 passed the House and Senate.
• SB 2126 & HB 837- Student & Faculty Academic Freedom - This controversial bill was perceived by most as an attempt to intimidate state university faculty. HB 837 died on the House Calendar and SB 2126 died in committee.

LANGUAGE FROM APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Conference Report concerning Libraries
PROGRAM: STATE GRANTS/K-12 PROGRAM - NON FEFP 6A AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FROM EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT TRUST FUND .
The pilots shall consist of school districts: large, medium, and small. All districts shall be provided information about this pilot project and shall be given the opportunity to indicate whether they wish to participate. From the districts expressing a desire to participate, the Department of Education shall make the final selection of the pilot districts. The department shall request providers of electronic online libraries for high school students to submit proposals for conducting the pilots which include, but are not limited, to full-text books and staff development activities for teachers utilizing the pilot. From the proposals received, representatives from the participating school districts and the department shall jointly agree which of the proposals are deemed to be most appropriate to be piloted in Florida's high schools. The pilot project shall be designed to include an independent assessment of the cost effectiveness of electronic online library services for high school student instruction. Representatives of the school districts and the department shall provide to the Governor and the Legislature, by December 31, 2006, a report containing summary of the pilot project; conclusions about its impact on student instruction; recommendations for funding the web-based library; and guidance for any school district that may wish to consider providing its students access to online library services.

PECO_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

• BROWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE Rem/ren Library Bldg 72 to Classrooms/Labs - South partial.. 1,015,049
• PASCO-HERNANDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE Clsrms/Labs/Univ Cen w/Library addition complete (ce)....... 2,543,953
• PENSACOLA JUNIOR COLLEGE Rem/ren Library w/addition - Main partial................... 550,00
• ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE Rem/ren Library to Stu Svcs w/addition - SP/G partial....... 350,000
• Library Clsrms w/match - Seminole complete (pce)............ 830,492
• Facility Furnishings - Plant City.............. 250,000
• INDIAN RIVER Joint -Use Library-Mueller Campus/Vero Bch.................. 4,300,000
• UNIV OF CENTRAL FL Alumni Center-John & Martha Hitt Library (P,C,E)............ 93,050
• UNIV OF FL Fifield Hall Reading Room /Library (P,C,E).................. 110,000
• 485,009 Law School Library Phase IV (P,C,E)......................... 300,000
• UNIV OF NORTH FL Fine Arts Building Carpenter Library (E)....................................... 2,000

Library for The Blind
49 SPECIAL CATEGORIES LIBRARY SERVICES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 50,000
• FROM GRANTS AND DONATIONS TRUST FUND . . . 100,000

57 SPECIAL CATEGORIES HISTORICALLY BLACK PRIVATE COLLEGES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 11,000,000

Funds in Specific Appropriation 57 shall be allocated as follows:

• Library Resources........................................... 168,042

75 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS -INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 247,999,489

From the funds provided in Specific Appropriation 75, $15,000,000 is provided for Library Media Materials, Fifield Hall Reading Room /Library (P,C,E) 110, Law School Library Phase IV (P,C,E) 103,647 Carpenter Library

(E) 2,75 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS -
80 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 3,078,240

The funds provided in Specific Appropriation 80 shall be allocated as follows:

• Sunlink Uniform Library Database............................ 878,24

120 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - COMMUNITY COLLEGES PROGRAM FUND

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 885,356,016
• College Center for Library Automation....................... 8,022,816

PROGRAM: LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND INFORMATION SERVICES
APPROVED SALARY RATE 3,820,074 2957
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
POSITIONS 114.00

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 2,479,280
• FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND . . . . 1,218,542

2958 OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 169,916
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 302,826
• FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND . . . . 52,412 2

959 EXPENSES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 2,147,225
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 826,379
• FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND . . . . 650,785

2960 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - HISTORICAL RECORDS GRANTS

• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 25,000

2961 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - LIBRARY COOPERATIVES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 1,800,000

2962 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS - LIBRARY GRANTS

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 31,849,233
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 3,641,637

2963 AID TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS GRANTS AND AIDS COMMUNITY LIBRARIES IN CARING

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 200,000

2964 OPERATING CAPITAL OUTLAY

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 26,000
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 7,522
• FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND . . . . 47,848

2965 SPECIAL CATEGORIES LIBRARY RESOURCES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 611,389
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 1,773,197

2966 SPECIAL CATEGORIES RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 16,820

2967 SPECIAL CATEGORIES
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 27,922
• FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TRUST FUND . . . . . 6,915
• FROM RECORDS MANAGEMENT TRUST FUND . . . . 15,806

2967A FIXED CAPITAL OUTLAY LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 7,500,000

Funds in Specific Appropriation 2967A from the General Revenue Fund are provided for library construction projects that are in compliance with section 257.191, Florida Statutes. Of the funds in Specific Appropriation 2967A, $6,500,000 is provided for the thirteen highest ranked projects that have been priority ranked under chapter 1B-2.011, Florida Administrative Code, and $1,000,000 is provided for projects that had previously been awarded a library construction grant but were subsequently withdrawn or vacated.

2967B GRANTS AND AIDS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONSTATE ENTITIES - FIXED CAPITAL OUTLAY LIBRARY PROJECTS

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . 3,081,779

Funds in Specific Appropriation 2967B shall be allocated as follows:

• Library/Renovation Expansion Project in Bay County.......... 2,500,000
• Library Construction - Trinity, Pasco County................ 431,779
• Lauderdale Lakes Educational & Cultural Resource Center..... 150,000

TOTAL:
LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND INFORMATION SERVICES

• FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND . . . . . . . . . 49,909,564
• FROM TRUST FUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,834,942
• TOTAL POSITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114.00
• TOTAL ALL FUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,744,506

(h) SPECIAL PAY ISSUES
Increases authorized in this paragraph shall not be employee's July 31, 2005, base rate of pay.

d. Effective August 1, 2005, from funds in Specific Appropriation 2086, $32,712 from the General Revenue Fund is provided to the judicial branch to fund competitive pay adjustments to library personnel as described in the judicial branch's legislative budget request (issue code 4400A10).

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DIVISION OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES
FY2005-2006 PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANT APPLICATIONS
10/5/2004

RANK	APPLICANT	FY 2006 ELIGIBILITY	PROJECT TOTAL
1	City of HialeahWest Hialeah e-Library	$500,000	$1,100,000
2	Bradford County Bradford County Public Library	$500,000	$2,000,000
3	City of West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach Public Library	$500,000	$22,855,000
4	Miami-Dade County *Naranja Branch Library	$500,000	$5,079,000
5	Palm Beach County *Wellington Branch Library	$500,000	$5,638,969
6	Hillsborough CountyWest Gate Regional Library	$500,000	$3,222,000
7	Lake County Citrus Ridge County Library	$500,000	$5,381,000
8	Collier County Golden Gate Branch Library	$500,000	$4,000,000
9	Leon County Lake Jackson Branch Library	$500,000	$2,607,000
10	Putnam County ***Interlachen Branch Library	$500,000	$651,230
11	Volusia CountyDeltona Regional Library	$500,000	$4,316,875
12	Broward County Lauderdale Lakes Branch Library	$500,000	$1,944,500
13	City of LeesburgLeesburg Public Library	$500,000	$6,883,320
14	Miami-Dade County *Kendale Lakes Branch Library	$500,000	$5,079,000
15	Miami-Dade County *Country Walk Branch Library	$500,000	$5,679,000
16	Palm Beach County *North County Regional Library	$500,000	$5,582,880
17	Palm Beach County *West Boca Library	$500,000	$4,547,600
18	Palm Beach County *West Atlantic Avenue Branch Library	$500,000	$6,404,040
19	Palm Beach County *West Lantana Branch Library	$500,000	$8,949,020
20	City of Boynton Beach **Boynton Beach City Library	$500,000	$6,991,708
21	Broward County **Mirimar Branch Library	$500,000	$7,132,500
	TOTAL	$10,500,000	$116,044,642

* The construction program rules allow only one grant to be awarded to a government until all other eligible applicants have been awarded during the funding cycle. The following entities submitted multiple applications for FY05-06. When projects are moved to the bottom of the list, they are listed by score - from high to low.

• Two of the Miami-Dade County applications received the same score. The County has chosen to rank the Naranja Branch Library application. The third application received a lower score.
• The Palm Beach County Wellington Branch project is the higher ranked project because it has the highest point total. All other applications from Palm Beach County are placed after the ranked applications.

** The construction program requires that if a library construction project has previously been awarded a grant that is later withdrawn or vacated and files a new application during the next application submission period for substantially the same project, that the project shall be considered only after the Division has acted upon all other applications during the funding cycle. The two projects (Boynton Beach and Broward County Mirimar Branch) moved to the bottom of the list are listed by score - from high to low.

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4.3.05

Report on Library Days – Tallahassee, Florida
March 16-17, 2005

I attended Library Days along with Past President Lisa Manners, Vice President/President-Elect Neil Pollack, and Margie Mays-Pollack, Membership Chair. Also accompanying us were two members of the Friends of the Deerfield Beach/Percy White Library: President Joanie Fleming & Board member Gayle Rivera. The two days were a whirlwind of activity, as you’ll read below:

Wednesday, March 16th:
Library Day activities kicked off in the evening with a cocktail reception that all legislators are invited to. Several Broward legislators, such as Reps. Irving Slosberg and Ellyn Bogdanoff, attended, which gave us an opportunity to introduce ourselves and tell them that we would be visiting their offices the following day.

Thursday, March 17th:
We began our day of visits to legislators with a 9:15am appointment with Rep. Adam Hasner, and afterwards, ran back and forth between the House and Senate Office Buildings, and the Capitol visiting our legislators and talking to them about the shortfall libraries face with the “recurring funds” requested in Governor Bush’s budget.

We also discussed the Internet filtering bills that have been sponsored both in the House (HB 611 and the Senate (SB 722) by legislators who think that county and municipal libraries have not put adequate policies in place for customers accessing the Internet on public computers. We informed our Broward legislators that Broward County Library does have an adequate policy that our community is satisfied with. Advocates and librarians from other parts of the state did the same that day.

We visited with the following legislators or their aides: Rep. Adam Hasner; Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff; Sen. Nan Rich; Sen. Jeff Atwater; Rep. Ron Greenstein; Sen. Ron Klein; Rep. Irivng Slosberg; Rep. Chris Smith; Rep. Eleanor Sobel.

Conclusion:
We think that the benefits of making the trip to Tallahassee far outweigh the travel time and the cost. Although the budget will likely pass as written, without increased funding for libraries, it seems that the Internet filtering bill (at least the one going through the House) has sputtered to a halt and may die, and we hope the Senate bill will follow suit. We in the Florida library community think this is the direct result of the letter-writing campaign of the Friends of the Libraries, local library users, and our effective communication with the legislators! We can’t wait to go to Tallahassee next year!

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Past Legislative Updates are available in the BCLA Archives.

Get BCLA legislative news by e-mail!

Contact Carol Russo at crusso@browardlibrary.org