[CLClist] CLA Legislative Committee's Next Meeting

[Moran, Michael J]

> (please excuse cross-postings)
> 
> The CONNECTICUT LIBRARY ASSOCIATION's Legislative Committee will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, February 26, at 2:00 PM, at the Middletown Library Servce Center in Middletown.  For directions go to: http://www.cslib.org/facmlsc.htm.  We've appended below the approved minutes of our December 4, 2007 meeting. We'll distribute the minutes of our January 29, 2008 meeting after they're approved at next week's meeting. 
> 
If you haven't yet invited your local legislators to attend CLA's second biennial Legislative Breakfast Reception on Wednesday, March 5, from 8:00-9:30 AM, in the Executive Dining Room at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, please do so ASAP and plan to join them there yourself.  We're asking everyone to RSVP by calling the CLA Office at 860-346-2444.  For directions to the LOB go to: www.cga.ct.gov/capitoltours/directions.htm.  More information is available from either co-chair of this event:
Suzanne Maryeski (Farmington Library; 860-673-6791; smaryeski at farmingtonlibct.org)
&
Rob Walsh (Three Rivers Community College Library; rwalsh at trcc.commnet.edu) 

You can also contact either co-chair of the Legislative Committee for more information: 
> Mike Moran (Asnuntuck Community College, 170 Elm Street, Enfield 06082; 860-253-3171; mmoran at acc.commnet.edu)
> &
> Peter Ciparelli (Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington Street, New London 06320; 860-447-1411; peterc at lioninc.org)
> 
> ************
> 
CONNECTICUT LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 
DECEMBER 4, 2007 MIDDLETOWN LIBRARY SERVICE CENTER 
  
Present: Carl Antonucci (CLA), Chris Bradley (CLC), Barbara Bryan (ACLB), Peter Ciparelli 
(co-chair), Suzanne Maryeski (at large), Steve Mirsky (SNELLA), Mike Moran (co-chair), 
Bridget Quinn-Carey (Region 4), Tracy Ralston (Region 1), Ken Wiggin (CSL), Barry Williams 
(CLA), Anita Wilson (FOCL).

A.  The meeting was called to order at 2:10 P.M. 
  
B.  Minutes from the October 23, 2007 meeting were approved as submitted. 
  
C.  Business: 
   
1. Legislative Update 
  
Barry reported that the state budget projections for FY2009 currently look good and that a special 
legislative session on crime issues will be held sometime in January.

Ken reported that the Governor's agenda for the next regular legislative session will focus on 
"quality of life" issues.  This may give libraries an opening for funding beyond items already on 
CLA's legislative agenda, such as building on the recent NEA reading study to develop services 
and facilities for teens, after school activities, etc.

He also mentioned that the State Library has requested a written opinion from the Attorney 
General's office regarding application of the new confidentiality statute.

2.  Legislative Reception Report 

Peter reported that two legislators (Rep. Clark Chapin, Senator Paul Doyle) and 20+ library 
community members attended CLA's reception on November 7th at Capital Community College in 
Hartford to honor legislators who supported our legislative agenda last year.  Recognition plaques 
are being distributed locally to the other 20 legislators we honored. 

3. CLA Legislative Agenda for Next Year 

Mike and Peter reported that the legislative agenda for FY2009 which we presented to the CLA 
Executive Board was unanimously approved at their November 1st meeting in Canton.  The agenda 
seeks: funding increases in four statewide library programs: Connecticard; the Connecticut Library 
Consortium and InfoAnytime; public library construction grants; and iCONN; and extension of 
confidentiality protection to academic library records. 

4. Legislative Links Update 

Mike and Peter will review the current list of active links and determine which links may need to be 
replaced.  They will try to have the list updated before the next legislative session begins on 
February 6, 2008. 

5.  Legislative Breakfast Reception 2008 
  
Suzanne confirmed that CLA's second biennial Legislative Breakfast Reception will be held at the 
Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 from 8:00 to 9:30 AM.  We are 
still looking for a co-chair to help plan this event with Suzanne. 

6.  Other 

Barry is resigning as CLA's lobbyist this month for health reasons.  He recommended several other 
lobbyists that we should approach to succeed him.  The committee thanked Barry for his 15+ years of 
service as CLA's first lobbyist and for the high standard he set for his successor!

Steve discussed several federal issues of concern to SNELLA (the Southern New England Law 
Librarians Association), like the Patriot Act and related legislation, which are also of concern to CLA.  
Both organizations will seek to reinforce each other's work on these issues as opportunities arise.

In addition to the Breakfast Reception above, CLA members are encouraged to hold local receptions 
for their legislators during the upcoming session. 
  
D.  Date of Next Meeting 
  
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 29th, at 2 PM in the Middletown Library 
Service Center.  

E.  Adjournment 
  
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 PM. 
  
Respectfully submitted, 
  
Mike Moran (for Peter F. Ciparelli) 
Co-Chair