[Nmtriblibs] FW: NMLA Legislative Bulletin #14

[Moore, Patricia, DCA]

Forwarded on behalf of Joe Sabatini… Thank you, Joe.


From: Joe Sabatini <jsabatini423 at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 11:32 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] NMLA Legislative Bulletin #14

NMLA Legislative Bulletin #14                                                                                                                                                      February 7, 2024

FLOOR ACTIONS
The House of Representatives passed HB 308, the General Obligations Bonds bill today, on a unanimous 67-0 vote. HB 308 includes the $19 million library bond issue. The bill will likely go to the Senate Finance Committee.

House Bill 134 as twice amended, the Tribal Education Trust Fund will be considered on the House floor tomorrow morning. Some of the revenue generated by this trust fund could be directed to tribal libraries if those libraries are under their tribe's education department.


COMMITTEE HEARINGS

House Bill 123, PROSCRIBING THE BANNING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS by Kathleen Cates, Harold Pope, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Cristina Parajon and Natalie Figueroa

HB 123 was heard by the House Education Committee today. The Committee gave it a "do-pass" recommendation on a 8-0 vote, which sends it to the House Floor for consideration.

Bill text at: https://nmlegis.gov/Sessins/24%20Regular/bills/house/HB0123.pdf

The webcast is at:
https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00293/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20240208/-1/74678

Rep. Cates introduced the bill at 8:32:00. Val Nye is her expert witness, and she presents at 8:32:45. State Librarian Eli Guinnee expresses support for the bill, and notes that the State Library will administer the provisions of the act if it is passed.  Public comment begins at 8:30. There were sixteen public comments from the audience and on Zoom in support of the bill, and no one opposed it. Among the librarians who supported the bill were Cynthia Shetter, Joe Sabatini, Elizabeth Martinez, Margaret Neill, Darren Hoffsteder (Spelling may not be correct) and Carol Brey. Among the others who testified were a Rio Rancho high school student, a representative of the American Federation of Teachers, the owner of an independent bookstore, a conservationist, an anthropologist, a gay rights advocate, a representative of New Mexico Voices for Children, two parents and a board member of the Friends of the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library.  Notable testimony: "Free People Read Freely"; how books were transformative in people's lives; "The first book ever banned in the world was the Bible."

This broad range of support and devotion to public libraries is well worth listening to.

Committee comments begin at 8:58. Reps. Willie Madrid, Susan Herrera, Patricia Roybal Caballero and  Joy Garrett each stated their support for the bill. Rep. Yanira Gurrola made the motion for a "do pass" recommendation at 9:07:25, resulting in an 8-0 vote. Bill Co-Sponsor Senator Harold Pope was briefly in the audience but had to leave for a bill in another committee.


Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair
NMLA Legislation Committee
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