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

MLA Advocacy News

Intellectual Freedom Resources

MI Right to Read is an MLA initiative coordinated through the leadership of the Intellectual Freedom Task Force to protect the right to read in Michigan. Visit MIRighttoRead.com today to take the pledge to protect every Michigander's right to read. Then take action to stand up for your First Amendment rights and intellectual freedom. Check out ten ways you can help support every Michigander's right to read and take action today!

New Distracted Driving Law Anticipated Impact on Penal Fine Revenue

Michigan’s new distracted driving law could create an increase in Penal Fines for Michigan’s public libraries. Public Acts 39, 40, and 41 of 2023 amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to prohibit, holding or using a cell phone or other mobile device while operating a motor vehicle, beginning June 30, 2023.

Michigan’s FY24 State Budget

On June 28, Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2024 state budget was approved. Even with hard work and many communications with state legislators from our members, MLA staff, Board, and lobbyist, State Aid to Libraries has remained flat. At the request of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), the library pilot program was cut even though we requested that the boilerplate language be changed to include all counties. We were happy to see that there was a special appropriation of $100,000 for new learning pods in the Hazel Park District Library. We must all keep working and communicating the needs of our public libraries, now even more than ever.

Intellectual Freedom Resources

Recently, we have seen escalations in the tactics of book ban proponents in Michigan. Keep an eye out for the following in your community:

In Lapeer County, a prosecutor was reported to be considering bringing charges against the director of the public library for keeping the frequently-targeted book Gender Queer available to the public. U.S. publishers are not producing obscene books, and providing access to a book in the library is not a crime. As discussed in the linked news article, attempting to force a library to censor books with legal threats may even backfire as removing books from a public library based on viewpoint may leave the library open to a First Amendment violation lawsuit.

Partner with National Voter Registration Day 2023

MLA has signed on to partner with National Voter Registration Day 2023 and we encourage libraries to join us! First observed in 2012, National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrated every September. This year, National Voter Registration Day is September 19, 2023.

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