NJLA Public Policy Committee 2019-2020 Legislative Priorities

Per Capita State Aid (A3801/S2668)
Makes 10.5 million supplemental appropriation for increased per capita library aid. 
29 Assembly sponsors – Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
20 Senate sponsors – Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

Library Network Aid 
Support shared services through the Network including LibraryLinkNJ, statewide delivery of materials and the JerseyConnect statewide technology services and infrastructure.  LibraryLinkNJ members are multi-type libraries and library-related agencies located in the twenty-one counties of New Jersey, with 1100 voting representatives from over 2,600 public and private school, public, academic, institutional, corporate, health sciences and special libraries and library-related agencies.  

Opioid Antidote Legislation  S2331/A3838 

Authorizes public libraries to maintain supply of opioid antidotes and permits emergency administration of opioid antidote by librarian or other trained library employee.   Passed by full Senate June 27, 2019.  A3838 in Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee. 
           

Net Neutrality (A1767/S1577) 

Establishes "New Jersey Net Neutrality Act."  A1767 Referred to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee.  S1577 Referred to the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

State Broadband

ACR247 ATU – Urges BPU to investigate broadband Internet in state’s rural communities; urges State Board of Agriculture and Dept of Agriculture to explore ways these services can be brought to rural communities.

A5431-Establishes the “5G Network and Development Task Force”

Allows public libraries to dispose of certain materials without advertising for bids. (S684/A3875)
Prime sponsor Christopher Bateman (District 16). Referred to the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.   A3875 by Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (District 16). Referred to the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

School Libraries Task Force- NJLA and NJSL members 

• School Library Media Specialist Required Ratio (A1995/S2394)
  • Requires public schools to hire a certain number of certified school librarians based on a ratio of enrolled students

• Information Literacy Curriculum K-12 (A132/S2933)
  • Requires public school districts to include information literacy into the curriculum for grades K-12 with guidelines developed by the Commissioner of Education in conjunction with the State Librarian

Federal Legislation

Digital Equity Act
            Current Senate Bill, House Version not yet introduced (https://www.digitalequityact.org)

Access Broadband Act – Passed House.  No NJ Senators yet co-sponsoring Senate version.

IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services and IAL (Innovative Approaches to Literacy) funding – LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) letters

Policy and issues without legislation:

New Jersey public libraries- Standards to receive State Aid, delivery, database use, trustee training 
(NJSL, Admin Code)
Census 2020 – Complete Count NJ
Ebooks and Libraries; Macmillan and ALA statement

Open Textbooks law – monitor implementation at institutions of higher education
Erate Cap- Universal Service Fund