April 8, 2016 

TO:                  CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS

FROM:           Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist
                        Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist 

RE:                 NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL

ACTION ALERT:  LETTERS NEEDED IN SUPPORT OF LIBRARY FUNDING IN CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET

The Senate and Assembly Budget Subcommittees have been meeting weekly at the State Capitol in order to review and to make recommendations regarding various program funding areas proposed in Governor Brown’s 2016-17 State Budget.  We need your help!  Would you please take a few minutes in the coming days to send letters to 10 key legislators involved in the Budget process, in order to ensure that the California Library Association’s “Budget ask” is realized.  Contact information for these Senators and Assemblymembers can be found at the end of this report, and bullet points have been provided in order to help you craft a quick letter.  Letters are due by April 29.

As we reported in our recent “News From the Capitol,” on March 17 the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance reviewed the State Library Budget during an overview hearing.  The issue before the subcommittee that day was:  whether or not to approve the proposal by Governor Brown to provide $1.8 million in new ongoing funding for the California Library Services Act and $3 million in new “one time funding” (e.g. must be spent during the 2016-17 fiscal year) for the CLSA, to foster greater “digital delivery” of materials between the regions.  At the conclusion of the hearing, the Senate Budget Subcommittee held the issue “open,” in order to revisit the matter after the Governor releases his more current revenue  projections on or around May 13^th in his so-called, “May Revise.”

On the Assembly side, the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance will not review the State Library Budget until May 4.  Last year the Assembly Budget Subcommittee did not include any money for public libraries above what the Governor was proposing in his Budget. 

In addition to supporting the Governor’s proposed funding for the CLSA, CLA is also requesting that the Budget Subcommittees consider additional appropriations, including $4 million for broadband connection grants, in order to continue to bring more public libraries onboard in Phase 3 of the popular broadband project.  Additionally, CLA is requesting $1-2 million in additional funding for adult literacy.

Please take a moment today to contact the following legislators and urge their support of the following (feel free to cut and paste this language below):

ACTION REQUESTED

• Approve the Governor’s January Budget proposal to provide an additional $1.8 million in funding to the California Library Services Act.  Budget Item 6120-211-0001.
• Approve the Governor’s January Budget proposal to provide $3 million in one-time funding to the California Library Services Act for the purpose of collaborative “digital delivery” uses.  Budget Item 6120-215-0001.
• Approve a request by the California Library Association to provide $4 million in one-time funding for broadband connectivity grants in order to continue to bring public libraries on to a high-speed broadband “backbone” operated by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC).   
• Approve a $1-2 million increase to the California Literacy Services program in order to restore public library literacy programs, provide enhanced resources for existing programs, and continue to address the backlog of adult literacy learners in need of assistance at the library.   

Additional information on these items can be found on the CLA webpage in the Advocacy “Day In the District” section.

Please address your letters to the following individuals and send them via mail or fax no later than April 29:

The Honorable Marty Block, Chair
Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 4072
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 651-4939

The Honorable Ben Allen, Member
Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2054
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 651-4926

The Honorable John Moorlach, Member
Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2048
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 651-4937

The Honorable Kevin McCarty, Chair
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2160
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 319-2107

The Honorable Rocky Chavez, Member
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 2170
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 319-2176

The Honorable Chris Holden, Member
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 3152
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 319-2141

The Honorable Young Kim, Member
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 4177
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 319-2165

The Honorable Patrick O’Donnell, Member
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
State Capitol, Room 4166
Sacramento, CA.  95814
Fax:  (916) 319-2170

Thank you for your help!