WEMTA/WLA Legislative Alert re: AB-302 and Its Impact on the Common School Fund

WEMTA/WLA Legislative Alert

Common School Fund Threatened

Introduced last Wednesday, AB-302 and its companion, SB-212, had a joint public hearing on Thursday, October 13 before both the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care and the Senate Committee on Public Health, Human Services, and Revenue.

The bill is very complex with many provisions, and legislators and many people working on the bill likely did not understand the effect on the Common School Fund..

 However, on the morning of the hearing the Department of Health Services released its fiscal estimate for the bills that clearly indicates that they estimate it could cost the Common School Fund at least a $1.5 million per year.

Executive sessions on the bills are scheduled for Thursday, October 20

It is urgent that the members of the two committees listed below hear from the library community and its supporters regarding the proposal’s impact on the Common School Fund today!

Senate Committee on Public Health, Human Services and Revenue: Senators Pam Galloway (R-Wausau), Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa), Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) and Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse).

Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care: Representatives Dan Knodl (R-Germantown)also Menomonee Falls, Warren Petryk (R-Elva) Eau Claire area, Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay), Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls), Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee) and Elizabeth Coggs (D-Milwaukee).

Although the legislation is complex, our message is simple—

We respectfully request that AB-302 and SB-212 be amended to require that all fine and forfeiture proceeds collected thereto be deposited into the Common School Fund.

You could briefly explain how vital the Common School Fund is to school library funding in your community and mention that the Common School Fund is a segregated fund established by the Wisconsin Constitution.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS BY PHONE: Call the legislative hotline toll-free at 1-800-362-WISC (9472) (266-9960 in the Madison area) to leave a message for a legislator. This hotline can also tell you who your State Representative and/or State Senator is.

BY E-MAIL or PHONE: Visit http://www.legis.state.wi.us/ and click on "Who Represents Me?" After entering your address, your representative and senator will appear along with a phone number or link to email them. If you send e-mail, include your name and mailing address in the body of the message, or your concerns may not be recorded. Generally, legislators' e-mail addresses use the following format:
Rep.Lastname@legis.state.wi.us (example: Rep.Jones@legis.state.wi.us)
Sen.Lastname@legis.state.wi.us (example: Sen.Smith@legis.state.wi.us)