
Dear Colleagues,
Friday was day 74 of the Legislative session which is scheduled to last about three more weeks.
Both Senate Bills 60 and 398 passed the Legislature this week and will soon head to Governor Gianforte.
House Bill 91 was heard in Senate Finance and Claims Thursday morning. Rep. Sprunger continues to be a wonderful sponsor and I’m grateful for her thoughtful leadership. I’m also grateful to the numerous librarians who testified about the importance of state aid funding during that hearing. Many of them Zoomed in from the MLA Conference. The Committee passed the bill unanimously but not before they amended it to reduce the per capita amount from $.50 to $.45. I am glad that it passed, and that the bill still includes an increase over the current per capita amount, but we do have a strategy to try to remove that amendment and restore the $.50. Please watch for requests to contact your legislators soon on this matter.
No further action was taken on House Bill 2, the budget bill, this week.
An updated summary of the bills we are actively following is below:
HB 2: General Appropriations Act Passed by Senate Finance and Claims State Library Position: Support MLA Position: Support MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 4: Appropriations by budget amendment Passed by Senate Finance and Claims State Library Position: Support MLA Position: N/A MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 13: State Employee Pay Plan and revising laws governing state employees Signed by the Governor State Library Position: Support MLA Position: N/A MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 91: Revise laws related to public library state aid Amended and passed by Senate Finance and Claims State Library Position: Support MLA Position: Support MAGIP Position: N/A
SB 60: Establish enterprise fund for Montana spatial real time network Sent to enrolling State Library Position: Support MLA Position: N/A MAGIP Position: Support
HB 343: Generally revise library geospatial and natural resource information laws Transmitted to the Governor State Library Position: Support MLA Position: N/A MAGIP Position: Support
HB 946: Implement provisions of HB2 - Section E - education Referred to Senate Finance and Claims State Library Position: Informational MLA Position: Support MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 398: Establish a Montana coordinate system for property Sent to enrolling State Library Position: Support MLA Position: N/A MAGIP Position: Support
Other bills impact libraries though the State Library is not involved:
HB 206: Generally revise mill levy election laws Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 234: Revise dissemination of obscene material to minors laws Amended and passed by Senate Education, scheduled for 2nd reading 4/17 State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 359: Prohibit minors from attending drag shows Amended and passed by Senate Judiciary State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 484: Establish broadband advisory commission Tabled in Committee in light of other similar legislation State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Support MAGIP Position: N/A
HB 913: Revise school library collection selection and reconsideration processes Referred to (S) Education, hearing scheduled for April 19 State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Support MAGIP Position: N/A
SB 125: Limit certain property tax levies to 5 years without reapproval Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
SB 251: Sunset or reapprove existing voter-approved property tax levies Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
SB 292: Revising the threshold for approval of a mill levy election Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
SB 413: Prohibit sex education instruction below sixth grade in public schools Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal State Library Position: N/A MLA Position: Oppose MAGIP Position: N/A
*Montana Library Association
** Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals
Have a great week,
Jennie
Jennie Stapp (she/her), State Librarian
jstapp2@mt.gov 406.444.3116
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