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Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Register to Attend the 2013 Library Legislative Day

Mark Ranum, 2013 Legislative Chair, is now taking registrations for Library Legislative Day. Details below and the link for registration is at the bottom.

2013 MLA/MEMO Library Legislative Day

The 2013 MLA/MEMO Library Legislative Day is an opportunity for library advocates (you, your staff and board, your patrons, other library lovers) to gather at the Minnesota State Capitol to show support and raise awareness of issues for libraries.

Attendees should make appointments to meet as many of their Representatives and Senators as possible to remind them of the importance of libraries to the success of the communities in their district. The MLA/MEMO Platform and accompanying Talking Points will be available to help guide attendees in their advocacy.

More than anything, legislators need to see that their constituents value libraries and be reminded that they should, too.

2013 event features:

  • Price: Acknowledging the pinch on personal and organizational budgets these days, there is NO REGISTRATION FEE. The meeting includes a briefing the evening before. We hope that having no fee will encourage a large turnout—especially critical in this time when money is scarce.
  • Lunch: Lunch is on your own. There are several venues within easy reach of the Capitol building, including the Sweetwater Grille & Bar in the Kelly Inn and fast food restaurants. Many buildings in the Capitol complex have their own cafeterias. The Capitol cafeteria is in the basement and is closed when the Legislature is not in session. The Transportation and Centennial Building cafeterias are on the ground floor of each building. The Veterans Service Building cafeteria is on the fifth floor. Menus are available online. The Capitol also has a snack bar on the second floor (where the House and Senate chambers are located) during the session.
  • Location: This year, the meeting will again be at the Best Western Kelly Inn St. Paul Hotel (161 Saint Anthony Ave, St. Paul, MN 55103).
  • Lodging: Save time and stay overnight at the Best Western Kelly Inn St. Paul Hotel. There is a small block of rooms being held for our group. Please contact the Best Western Kelly Inn St. Paul Hotel at 651-227-8711. Reference the 2013 MLA/MEMO Library Legislative Day to get the best rate.
  • Parking: Parking at the Best Western Kelly Inn St. Paul is free and on a first come, first served basis.

There are many advocacy groups that legislators hear from. If libraries are not well represented, funding may go elsewhere. Please register now and join us.

Mark Ranum
2013 Legislative Chair

Event Details

START

5:00pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013

END

4:00pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013

SCHEDULE

Tuesday, March 5, 2013 (St. Anthony Room)
5:00–5:30pm Registration
5:30–6:30pm Legislative Briefing (hors d’oeuvres will be served)

 Wednesday, March 6, 2013 (Sibly Room)

8:00am–1:00pm Registration
9:00–10:00am Legislative Briefing (repeat of Tuesday)
10:00am–4:00pm 2013 MLA/MEMO Library Legislative Day

LOCATION

Best Western Kelly Inn

161 Saint Anthony Ave

St. Paul, MN 55103

See map: Google Maps

PRICES

–       FREE for MEMO and MLA members

REGISTER BY

11:59pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

LINK: REGISTER HERE!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Legislative Update

The following information is provided by Elaine Keefe, our MLA/MEMO legislative lobbyist….

politicsGovernor’s Budget:  Governor Dayton released his budget proposal on Tuesday.  There were no changes in library-specific appropriations.  However, the Governor did recommend some increases in broader appropriations that may ultimately have an impact on libraries. They are:

1) An increase of $80 million per year in aid to cities and an increase of $40 million per year in aid to counties.  This could impact public library funding at the local level.

2) An increase of $80 million over the biennium for the University of Minnesota and $80 million over the biennium for the University of Minnesota.  This could impact academic libraries in those two systems.

3) An increase of $118 million over the biennium in the general education formula for K-12 schools and an increase of $125 million over the biennium for special education (thereby freeing up general education dollars that are currently used by school districts to pay for special education).  This could impact the funding available to school library media centers.

Testimony:  On Thursday the Senate E-12 Education Budget Division held a hearing where education organizations were invited to present their platforms.  I presented the portions of the MLA/MEMO Platform that are under the jurisdiction of that committee.

State of the State:  Governor Dayton will deliver his State of the State Address before a joint session of the Legislature on February 6 at 7pm.

Committee Deadlines:  Legislative leaders have announced that committee deadlines are as follows:

The first committee deadline is Friday March 15.  To meet this deadline, a bill must have passed through all of the policy committees it needs to go to and have been referred to a finance committee or to the floor in either the House or the Senate.

The second committee deadline is Friday, March 22.  To meet this deadline, a bill must meet the standard for the first committee deadline in both the House and the Senate.

The third committee deadline is April 19.  This is the deadline for omnibus budget bills to be passed out committee.

Elaine Keefe
Capitol Hill Associates
525 Park Street, Suite 310
St. Paul, MN 55103
office 651-293-0229
fax 651-293-1709
cell 612-590-1244
elaine@capitolhillassoc.com