Close up of Education Muse painted on the interior of the Capitol dome in Lansing, Mi

MLA Advocacy News

Senate Passes Historic Stimulus Package

March 26, 2020

Yesterday, the United States Senate passed an unprecedented $2.2 trillion stimulus package in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. This bipartisan legislation is the largest economic aid package in US history, and was passed in the Senate with a unanimous 96-0 vote. It will next go to the House for a vote.

On Wednesday evening, before the Senate passed this legislation, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced that the House will convene at 9 a.m. Friday to consider the relief package. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is indicating that she's optimistic that the bill will pass in the House as well. President Donald Trump has indicated he will sign the measure and tweeted his congratulations after it cleared the Senate. View full the bill text here.

Contact Your Federal Legislators and Urge Them to Include Libraries in COVID-19 Relief and Economic Stimulus

March 18, 2020

The U.S. Congress is currently considering COVID-19 (coronavirus) relief and economic stimulus legislation, and likely will consider additional economic relief proposals in the future.

Your legislators need to hear directly from you that they must include libraries in COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus. They also need to hear specifically about how COVID-19 is affecting you and your library.

Contact Your Federal Legislators and Urge Them to Support Funding for Libraries

President Trump's proposed FY 2021 budget ends federal funding for libraries and museums. For the fourth year in a row the proposed budget eliminates funding critical to libraries. The budget proposal requests funding to cover the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administrative expenses for an orderly shutdown of the agency beginning October 1, 2020. The budget proposal also cuts $27 million from the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program, which helps school libraries serve students in the most vulnerable communities across America.

MLA's Official Position on SB 611 – Michigan Library Privacy Act

February 6, 2020

On Friday, January 31, 2020, the MLA Board of Directors unanimously voted to support and approve a substitution bill for Senate Bill 611 (SB 611).

Last October, Senator MacGregor introduced SB 611 to amend the Michigan Library Privacy Act, 1982 PA 455. The intention of his bill was to enable libraries to work with law enforcement when the library is a victim of a crime. After hearing both concerns and support from the Michigan library community on Senator MacGregor's proposed amendments to the Privacy Act, MLA drafted a substitute bill that clarifies and updates SB 611.

Good News and Bad News for Michigan’s Budget

January 23, 2020

GOOD NEWS! While estimates set at the May 2019 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference predicted a very flat revenue scenario this year, some good news was presented to the legislative and executive branch by fiscal experts in early January. According to new estimates, Michigan expects to see an additional $235.2 million in General Fund revenue and $85.7 million more in School Aid Fund support for the current Fiscal Year 2020. For the upcoming budget, which begins October 1, 2020, officials are expecting additional revenues of $274 million in the General Fund and $138 million in the School Aid Fund for a combined $412 million in additional revenue.

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