In this issue: Budget Update; TSLAC Reauthorization Bill Hearing; Bill Update

I. Budget Update

II. TSLAC Reauthorization Bill Hearing

III. Bill Update

I.  Budget Update

The Senate Finance Committee has yet to consider funding new riders to the State Library or Texas Education Agency budgets. Hearing schedules were shifted earlier this week to accommodate discussions on the criminal justice matters and other budget items. These hearings will likely take place in the next few days.  See Texline 221 (available through http://www.txla.org/pubs/texline/index.html) for information on advocating for library online database funding in the Senate.

The House Appropriations Committee has finalized its budget, which will now be voted on by the full House.  The House Appropriations Committee did not include any increase for direct grants to public libraries, but it did add "wish list" funding requests for TexShare and K-12 databases in what is called Article XI of the Appropriations Bill. Items in Article XI are not actually funded, but the funding committee has designated these initiatives a priority if additional funding becomes available.

At this stage, the House will vote on the budget and will consider amendments. Once the both the House and Senate approve their respective versions of the budget, then a conference committee (consisting of members of both the House and Senate) will hammer out the differences between their respective versions of the bill. It will be critically important to contact the actual members of that conference committee and urge them to take (what we expect to be) the Senate recommendation for increased funding for Loan Star Libraries ($2 million over the biennium), as well as Article XI funding requests for library online resources. The conference committee will likely be named in April.

As noted previously, the Senate has not yet acted on proposed library riders. At this time, we expect to have budget recommendations (on at least one or both of the chambers’ budgets) on direct aid grants, TexShare, and K-12 databases. Funding for library programs is still very much under consideration. We must continue our communications with legislative offices throughout the rest of the session and be prepared to mount an aggressive funding campaign during the conference committee process.

II. TSLAC Reauthorization Bill Hearing

The Senate Government Organization Committee will meet on Monday, March 26, to consider SB 913 (Brimer), the bill which reauthorizes the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This legislation enacts the Sunset Advisory Commission’s recommendations for the agency. (See Texlines for background information 212 and 213.)

Members of the Government Organization Committee include Senators Rodney Ellis (Chair), Glenn Hegar (Vice-Chair), Kim Brimer, Mario Gallegos, Mike Jackson, Jane Nelson, and John Whitmire. If your senator serves on this committee, please contact their office and ask for support of the agency reauthorization. To find contact information for these senate offices, go to: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm.

III. Bill Update

HB 101 (Author: Rep. Riddle, Debbie (R-150))
Last Action: 02/28/2007- Left pending in House Elections
Caption: Relating to the procedures for registering to vote and accepting a voter at a polling place (includes language accepting a library card as personal ID).

HB 218 (Author: Rep. Brown, Betty (R-4))
Last Action: 02/28/2007- Left pending in House Elections
Caption: Relating to requiring a voter to present proof of identification (including library cards).

HB 239 (Author: Rep. Alonzo, Roberto (D-104))
Last Action: 02/19/2007- Sent to House Local/Consent calendar
Caption: Relating to public use of computers in certain local public libraries.

HB 277 (Author: Rep. Madden, Jerry (R-67))
Last Action: 02/20/2007- Left pending in House Public Education
Caption: Relating to the creation and operation of a state virtual school network to provide education to students through electronic means.

HB 605 (Author: Rep. Howard, Donna (D-48))
Companion: SB 241
Last Action: 02/19/2007- Sent to House Local/Consent calendar
Caption: Relating to the creation of a library district.

HB 731 (Author: Rep. Kolkhorst, Lois (R-13))
Last Action: 03/21/2007- Left pending in House Elections
Caption: Relating to the use of certain voting equipment in an election that does not involve a federal office.

HB 735 (Author: Rep. Straus III, Joe (R-121))
Companion: SB 294
Last Action: 03/20/2007- House passed to engrossment
Caption: Relating to the discontinuation of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund.

HB 791 (Author: Rep. Dutton, Harold (D-142))
Last Action: 02/07/2007- Referred to House Public Education
Caption: Relating to evaluation under the public school accountability system of the delivery of library resources.

HB 979  (Author: Rep. Berman, Leo (R-6))
Last Action: 02/12/2007- Referred to House Elections
Caption: Relating to requiring a voter to present proof of identification (including a library card).

HB 1255 (Author: Rep. Isett, Carl (R-84));  HB 1348  (Author: Rep. Thompson, Senfronia (D-141))
Companion: SB 294
Last Action: 02/20/2007- Left pending in House Regulated Industries
Caption: Relating to the discontinuation of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund.

HB 1771 (Author: Rep. Villarreal, Michael (D-123))
Last Action: 02/27/2007- Referred to House State Affairs
Caption: Relating to the capital improvements (including libraries) that a local government may finance with an impact fee.

HB 2711 (Author: Rep. Straus III, Joe (R-121))
Companion: SB 940
Last Action: 03/14/2007- Referred to House Local Government Ways & Means
Caption: Relating to multi-jurisdictional library districts.

HB 2845 (Author: Rep. McClendon, Ruth (D-120))
Companion: SB 913
Last Action: 03/14/2007- Referred to House Culture, Recreation and Tourism
Caption: Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

HB 2930 (Author: Rep. Van Arsdale, Corbin (R-130))
Last Action: 03/15/2007- Referred to House Public Education
Caption: Relating to exemptions from certain statutory requirements for certain school districts.

HB 3125 (Author: Rep. Macias, Nathan (R-73))
Last Action: 03/19/2007- Referred to House Financial Institutions
Caption: Relating to the issuance of bonds or other obligations by library districts.

HCR 143 (Author: Rep. Strama, Mark (D-50))
Last Action: 03/08/2007- Referred to House Public Education
Caption: Creating the Commission on Online Learning to develop a plan to provide students and teachers with access to educational content and pedagogical practices.

HJR 88 (Author: Rep. Straus III, Joe (R-121))
 Companion: SJR 34
Last Action: 03/13/2007- Referred to House Ways and Means
Caption: Proposing a constitutional amendment to allow library districts to impose property taxes.

SB 241 (Author: Sen. Fraser, Troy (R-24))
Companion: HB 605
Last Action: 01/30/2007- Referred to Senate Intergovernmental Relations
Caption: Relating to the creation of a library district.

SB 294 (Author: Sen. Williams, Thomas (R-4))
Companion: HB 735
Last Action: 01/30/2007- Referred to Senate Finance
Caption: Relating to the discontinuation of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund.

SB 550 (Author: Sen. Patrick, Dan (R-7))
Last Action: 02/26/2007- Referred to Senate Education
Caption: Relating to the percentage of available general fund revenue allocated by a school district for instructional activities.

SB 913 (Author: Sen. Brimer, Kenneth (R-10))
Companion: HB 2845
Last Action: 03/20/2007- Senate Government Organization hearing set for 03/26/2007
Caption: Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

SB 940 (Author: Sen. Wentworth, Jeff (R-25))
Companion: HB 2711
Last Action: 03/15/2007- Certified for Senate Local/Consent calendar
Caption: Relating to multi-jurisdictional library districts.

SB 1207 (Author: Sen. Hegar, Jr., Glenn (R-18))
Last Action: 03/14/2007- Referred to Senate Intergovernmental Relations
Caption: Relating to the removal by the county commissioners court of appointed special district board members (including library district commissioners) who engage in misconduct.

SB 1788 (Author: Sen. Shapiro, Florence (R—8)
Last Action: 03/21/2007 – Referred to Senate Education

Caption: Relating to the creation and operation of a state virtual school network to provide education to students through electronic means.

SJR 34 (Author: Sen. Wentworth, Jeff (R-25))
Companion: HJR 88
Last Action: 03/07/2007- Referred to Senate Finance
Caption: Proposing a constitutional amendment to allow library districts to impose property taxes.