[nfbwatlk] Fwd: House Bill 2033

[Mike Freeman]

IMPORTANT!  The ignorant are at again!  Please read on.  NFBW will oppose this bill.  I will be in touch regarding possible testimony either in writing or in person.  In the meantime, calls to the legislative hotline opposing the bill are a good idea.  The number is (800) 562-6000.


Mike Freeman


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Miller, Danielle" <danielle.miller at sos.wa.gov>
> Date: March 24, 2011 9:23:01 PDT
> To: <wa-blind-funding at googlegroups.com>
> Subject: House Bill 2033
> Reply-To: wa-blind-funding at googlegroups.com
> 

> Hi everyone – I want to let you know about House Bill 2033.  It would significantly impact WTBBL and the Office of the Secretary of State is opposed to the bill.  I’ve pasted a message from Rand Simmons, our Acting State Librarian, below.  Please let me know if you have any questions.
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> Thank you,
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> Danielle
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> There is now a bill in the House (HB 2033) that would take the State Library and the Legacy Project (oral history) out of the Secretary of State’s office and place it in a combined Department of Heritage, Arts and Culture (HAC), along with the two Historical Societies, the Arts Commission, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the Tourism Board, and the Film Board.  This would also reduce the Library’s budget by 20%.
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> The bill also would switch the Heritage Center Fund to the proposed Department of HAC along with the fund-raising capacity of the State Library and the Legacy Project.
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> The Office of the Secretary of State is opposed to the bill.  The State Library has found a champion in the Secretary of State and we see no compelling reason to move these programs to another agency.
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> There is concern that some parts of the State Library’s mission may not be a good fit under the Heritage, Arts and Culture umbrella:
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> ·         The State Library has an important role in the preservation of the record of state government through the state publications depository function, which requires close cooperation with the Digital Archives for the preservation of state publications in digital formats.
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> ·         The State Library serves as the only regional federal depository library, ensuring that Washington residents have access to the records and research of the federal government.
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> ·         The Library serves visually-impaired, physically-handicapped and learning disabled persons across the state through the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library through digital audiobooks, Braille, large-print books and a radio reading service.
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> ·         There are State Library branches in the state psychiatric hospitals and the larger correctional centers, offering educational and recreational materials  to support re-entry initiatives and treatment plans for residents;
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> ·         The State Library works with public, school and academic libraries across the state, using federal funds to strengthen their services to their communities.  This includes projects as diverse as working with the Northwest Open Access Network to place high speed broadband in rural public libraries, organizing group purchases for libraries, and facilitating the E-rate application for libraries.
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> ·         The State Library is actively involved in the statewide Early Learning movement and is a member of the Early Learning Public Library Partnership.
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> A hearing is set for Thursday, March 31, 2011 before the State Government & Tribal Affairs committee in House Hearing Rm E at 8:00 a.m.
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> The text of the bill can be found at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2033.pdf. The bill’s sponsors are listed there. A recent News Tribune blog by Jordan Schrader is available at http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2011/03/23/heritage-center-money-could-be-tapped-for-state-history-museums/.
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> For more information please contact Rand Simmons, Acting State Librarian, rand.simmons at sos.wa.gov, 360.570.5585.
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