MLA Advocacy Update

MLA Advocacy - August 23, 2018

What is advocacy? The MLA Leadership Academy recently had a presentation from former state representative Barb Farrah who is now with our lobby firm GCSI. We try to emphasize the importance of connecting with local and state elected officials when we're educating our next generation of library leaders. Barb talked about the importance of building relationships early with newly elected officials. Don't wait until January. Once elections are over in November, invite those newly elected lawmakers to your library for a tour, coffee hour, or any community event. You can even host a candidate forum prior to the election as long as you invite all known candidates to participate. We need to practice advocacy every day in our libraries, in our communities and in our personal lives.

MLA Advocacy - July 26, 2018

Health Insurance News

Our insurance partner National Insurance Services (NIS) has completed our applications and contacted a number of health insurance companies for proposals for our MLA group health/Rx, dental and vision insurance consortium.

The deadline for responses from these companies is set for August 10. As soon as we have that information we will immediately make it available to you. Thanks for your patience.

MLA Advocacy - June 28, 2018

State Aid to Libraries up for FY 2019

The FY 2019 State of Michigan budget went to the governor's desk with a $1 million boost in funding for libraries in the state aid to libraries line item. MLA credits our library champions in the Senate, Senator Jim Stamas (R-Midland) and Senator Goeff Hansen (R-Hart) for their unwavering support of libraries. Their work on behalf of Michigan libraries is the reason we are seeing another million dollar increase for the third time in three years. In MLA's conversations with the two senators, they have made it clear they would like to see libraries continue to move upward toward previous funding levels. This is great news as we work to gradually rebuild this funding source.

MLA Advocacy - May 24, 2018

House Bill 5090 Reduces Library Funding

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Senators regarding HB 5090. There have been nearly 300 responses to our request urging your Senator to talk with Sen. Tom Casperson, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. After a meeting with the Senator's office today, we learned the bill will not move until the fall. The Senator has agreed to work with us to help address our concerns and MLA will testify at the committee hearing next week.

Contact your Senator TODAY to Save Library Penal Fines

House Bill 5090 must be stopped. House Bill 5090 changes how fines from weigh stations are distributed. Under the proposed legislation, failure to stop at a weigh station would be changed from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction and exempt certain vehicles. This means a reduction in penal fines to libraries since civil infraction penalties are lower than misdemeanor penalties.

This bill moved through the House without recognition of an analysis that found that it will reduce library funding.

MLA Advocacy - April 26, 2018

On Tuesday, the Senate Health Policy Committee took testimony on SB 828 and 829, which would provide liability protection for libraries when providing the life-saving opioid antidote naloxone, common brand name Narcan, to an overdosing patron.

Kristin Shelley, MLA Legislative Committee Chair and MLA President-elect gave an excellent overview of why the bills are needed. She also provided a heart wrenching story of a death that occurred at a library where she worked years ago. The committee heard first hand how a life might have been saved if naloxone had been available then.

MLA Advocacy - March 22, 2018

Michigan voters in November will elect a new governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Michigan supreme court justices, and both state and federal senators and representatives. This means that elected officials as well as candidates will spend considerable time campaigning throughout the next eight months. When the final weeks of lame duck session roll around we will be watching closely for any legislation impacting our libraries.

A number of ballot proposals will be decided in November as well. Here is a detailed outline of the proposal process and the questions we should expect to see this fall. This document is provided by MLA lobby firm GCSI.

MLA Advocacy - February 22, 2018

The Budget Process Begins

Governor Rick Snyder proposed his 2019 budget. Library funding remains pretty much unchanged from 2018. This is step one in the budget process. Both the House and Senate will make their own recommendations. Any differences between the chambers are decided in conference committee. The proposed budget then heads back to the governor for his signature.

Library Protection for Narcan Use

Senate Bills 828 and 829 were introduced today by Senator Rick Jones and Senator Margaret O’Brien. MLA worked with the Library of Michigan and Michigan Department of Education to help craft this legislation providing libraries with protection from civil and criminal liability when administering life-saving Narcan in the result of an opioid drug overdose at the library. Currently Good Samaritan laws protect individuals from prosecution but as governmental entities libraries could technically be held liable if something went wrong. Our goal is to have libraries treated much like school districts. We appreciate the Senators’ support of this important life-saving legislation.

MLA Advocacy - January 25, 2018

Net Neutrality Fight is Far From Over

The FCC voted to gut the net neutrality protections that limit the power of Internet Service Providers - like Verizon and Comcast - to slow websites, block mobile apps, or in any way control the information we access. This 3-2 vote to roll back strong, enforceable net neutrality protections was made amid widespread protests, millions of public comments and overwhelming opposition from across the political spectrum.

Modern libraries rely on the internet to collect, create and disseminate essential online information and services to the public. Strong, enforceable net neutrality rules, like the ones Chairman Pai just rushed to dismantle, are critical to keeping the internet working the way it does now.