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
|
