 |
TLA
TEXLINE NO. 156
Posted: May 7, 2003
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES NETWORK
|
Urgent Call to Action:
Budget Conference Committee at Work
- Call to Action: Fund TLC and State Library Budget
- TIF Hearing Update
Support Funding for TLC and State
Library Budget
The Senate Finance and House Appropriations Conference Committee is now at
work making the final budget recommendations for state agencies.
Library supporters are urged to contact their legislators if they serve on the
conference committee and ask them to:
- Fund the Texas Library Connection (TLC) at $4 million a year in the Texas
Education Agency budget. TLC was included in the Texas Education Agency's
original budget in the rider for the Long Range Plan for Technology but was
not funded! [Ask your legislator to reinstate funding for TLC. Make your
case as to why TLC is crucial for your school library.]
- Adopt the Senate recommendation for Rider 54 (funding for school library
materials) in the Texas Education Agency budget in Article III
- Maintain funding for the content databases and e-books (TexShare
databases) and other budget items in the Texas State Library and Archives
Commission budget in Article I.
The members of the conference committee are:
- Representative Talmadge Heflin, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0568; Capitol Fax:
512/463-8095 talmadge.heflin@house.state.tx.us
- Representative Vilma Luna, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0484; Capitol Fax:
512/463-8090 vilma.luna@house.state.tx.us
- Representative Jim Pitts, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0516; Capitol Fax:
512/463-1051 jim.pitts@house.state.tx.us
- Representative Sylvester Turner, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0554; Capitol Fax:
512/463-8380 sylvester.turner@house.state.tx.us
- Representative Arlene Wohlgemuth, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0538; Capitol
Fax: 512/463-6551 arlene.wohlgemuth@house.state.tx.us
- Senator Teel Bivins, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0131; Capitol Fax:
512/475-3733 sharon.miner@senate.state.tx.us
- Senator Judith Zaffirini, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0121; Capitol Fax:
512/475-3738; judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
- Senator Robert Duncan, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0128; Capitol Fax:
512/463-2424; robert.duncan@senate.state.tx.us
- Senator Steve Odgen, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0105; Capitol Fax:
512/463-5713; tiffiny.britton@senate.state.tx.us
- Senator John Whitmire, Capitol Phone: 512/463-0115; Capitol Fax:
512/475-3737; john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
The conference committee will complete its work within a few days, so must
contact your legislator immediately! The Texas Education Agency budget will
likely be discussed by Saturday. This is the last chance to speak for library
funding.
For additional information and talking points, see Texline
144, 146, 148, 152, and 154.
TIF BILL UPDATE
The Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on SB 124, a bill to extend TIF.
Many education groups spoke in support of extending TIF, while many
telecommunications companies and organizations spoke in opposition. Senator
Bivins announced early in the hearing that the committee would leave the bill
pending, largely because there was some concern as to whether the Senate could
originate a bill that was (in effect) a taxing mechanism.
TLA-Texline is an irregular publication of the Texas Library
Association mailed directly to members interested in legislative and
governmental issues affecting libraries. To subscribe--or to offer comments or
suggestions-- contact Gloria Meraz, Director of
Communications, Texas Library Association. Previous issues of Texline are
archived on the TLA website.