Legislative Status Report: 2011-13 Biennium

Budget awaiting Governor Walker's signature.

WLA supports funding of $6 million for digital library collections that support research and advanced study across the UW System. Wisconsin must build its information infrastructure for innovation and economic growth and be able to compete with other top public universities.

The WLA Board has endorsed the Council of UW Libraries resolution on library resource sharing and WiscNet continuation.

The UW Regents submitted a budget to DOA including $6 million for the Research Commons. This was not part of Governor Walker's budget proposal. Cuts of $250 million will be shared equally by UW-Madison and the UW System.

An amendment inserted by Joint Finance to cripple WiscNet and prevent the UW from accepting a federal broadband grant was amended in the Assembly to allow the grant project to continue and WiscNet to continue for 2 years, with conditions. See more details on the WiscNet blog.

The state budget was passed Thursday, June 16 by both houses of the legislature, with cuts proposed by Governor Walker and the Assembly amendment to restore WiscNet/UW broadband grant as noted above.

Thank legislators for approving changes to Joint Finance amendments that allow WiscNet/UW broadband grant to continue.

DPI Budget Request

Public Library System Funding

WLA supports full funding for public library systems, which is necessary to ensure that everyone in Wisconsin has free and open access to a nearby public library. Systems cost-effectively promote and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information resources among libraries in order to meet the knowledge and information needs of their communities. State statutes require DPI to submit a budget requesting funding for systems at 13% of local library expenditures. Funding at base level of $16,681,200 equals only 7.7% of local library expenditures.

DPI submitted its agency budget request to DOA, including a request for public library system funding at the 13% index level of $28,559,600 for FY12 and $29,130,800 for FY13. That is a requested change of $11,878,400 for FY12 and $12,449,600 for the FY13. Base is $16,681,200.

Governor Walker proposes cutting 10 percent from the base, for a total of $15,013,100 of funding in FY2012 and flat funding of $15,013,100 in FY2013.

The legislature approved a budget that includes the Governor's proposed cuts.

Maintenance of Effort

A fair share and a choice

All local public libraries receive valuable services as a result of their voluntary membership in one of 17 regional public library systems.  Under Wisconsin Statutes 43.15 (4)(c), local libraries must meet several requirements of system membership, including that the local library be funded at a level that is not lower than the average funding for the previous three years.  This requirement is commonly referred to as maintenance of effort. 

WLA supports maintenance of effort as a choice voluntarily made by a community's elected leadership when the communities decided to join a regional public library system (consortium) in return for the benefits of that membership.

Joint Finance declined to restore MOE in action taken during their executive session May 3. A motion to restore MOE entirely and a subsequent compromise (Motion 91) both failed on an 8-8 vote.

June 16: both houses of the legislature approve the state budget without restoring MOE.

DPI Budget Request

BadgerLink

DPI submitted its agency budget request to DOA, including a request for BadgerLink of $2,946,000 for FY12 and $2,960,300 for FY13. Base funding is $2,448,900.

Newsline for the Blind funding of $111,100 for each year of the biennium is included in the BadgerLink funding request.

Governor Walker's proposal would trim 10% of the funding from the base in FY2012 and no change in FY2013, or $2,304,000 for each year of the biennium for BadgerLink/Newsline for the Blind.

Joint Finance voted unanimously to restore funding of $512,000 for the biennium on May 3.

Legislature approved budget with restoration of BadgerLink and Newsline for the Blind funding.

DPI Budget Request

Library Service Contracts

DPI's agency budget requested included funding of $1,170,500 for FY12 and $1,203,400 for FY13.

This compares to base funding of 1,169,800 - or a change of $700 in the first year of the new biennium and an additional $33,600 in the second.

Governor Walker's proposal trims 10% from base funding for library service contracts in FY2012 and no change in FY2013, for funding of $1,052,800 for each year.

Joint Finance approved restoration of $183,400 in funding for the biennium for Talking Book and Braille Library (reference in motion as Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped).

Legislature approved budget with restoration of Talking Book and Braille Library funding.

DPI Budget Request

Newline for the Blind

DPI Budget Request

Common School Fund

DPI's agency budget includes authorization for distribution of up to $39,600,000.

Gov. Walker's proposed budget reduced school library aids by $4.6 million SEG in FY12 and $2.6 million SEG in FY13, based on a reestimate of interest earnings from the common school fund.

Budget approved based on Walker's reestimate.

SB 95

K-12 "Education Mandate Relief"

WLA supports the current statutory use of the Common School Fund that allows a school district to use up to 25 percent of the moneys it receives from the common school fund in a fiscal year to purchase school library
computers and related software. This bill, which WLA opposes, eliminates the 25 percent limit.

Joint hearing of the Assembly Education and Senate Education Committees is scheduled Monday, May 16, 10 a.m.,
411-S State Capitol. 

The Assembly Education Committee failed to report out bill on a vote of 5-6. Could still move forward.