This is your *new* source for updates on Minnesota library legislative activities. 

This newsletter is the way MLA & ITEM members will receive legislative updates from Sam Walseth of Capitol Hill Associates. Capitol Hill Associates is the lobbying firm representing MLA, ITEM, the multicounty multitype library systems, & the regional public library systems at the Minnesota Legislature.

In addition to the updates from Sam, the newsletter will offer announcements of events, advocacy tips, templates for phone messages/email, news about legislative activities including Legislative Day (March 6, 2018), Legislative Forum (August 8, 2018), and other news & information you can use in your advocacy efforts. It will include updates on national library issues, too.

The mailing schedule is intermittent–it depends on what is going on at the Legislature and how it affects libraries. During the session–which starts February 20, 2018–you can expect to receive these updates weekly or more often if there an urgent message.

The Governor accepted a request from the MN Department of Education (MDE) to fund $2.5 million to for Library Construction and Renovation grants. While this is a good place for us to start the 2018 session we face an uphill battle to get a bonding bill passed and signed into law. Competition for bonding dollars is always fierce. There were over $3.3 billion in requests submitted to the Governor’s office ($2.5 billion from state agencies and $831 million from local governments). For more details on the Governor’s bonding proposal: https://mn.gov/mmb/budget/capital-budget/current/

Getting Ready
1. Make appointments with your legislators. Many regional public library systems & multitype systems coordinate appointments to facilitate the day. Get in touch with your systems to see how it works in your region.
2. Read the MLA/ITEM Legislative Platform. Know and understand what we are asking for this year.
3. Read the Talking Points on the issues. This will help you be prepared to talk about the issues & why MLA & ITEM support them.
4. Write a brief script (don’t read it to your legislator!) to get your words in order. Include the Ask in your planning–we want an increase in funding for the regional and multitype library systems! Practice what you will say.
5. Ask questions! If you are unsure of the process, the Platform, or other legislative activities you can email LegWorkMLA@gmail.com and we will help you.

You can find a whole lot more–tips for the day, talking points for the platform, the Platform itself–at the NEW Minnesota Library Advocacy web site.