PSC to Host Statewide Internet for All Listening Tour

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is holding several listening sessions around the state to help develop the state 5-year Action Plan and state Digital Equity Plan. 

Wisconsin could expect an allocation of $800 million to $1.1 billion to implement the state’s five-year action plan for broadband and approximately $25 million to implement the state’s Digital Equity Plan under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s ‘Internet for All’ programs. 

Visit the Event website for full listening session details: https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Broadband/ListeningTour.aspx 

Monday, May 8 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM UW-Stout Memorial Student Center (302 10 th Ave E, Menomonie, WI 54751) In partnership with Momentum West 

Tuesday, May 9 | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM Seven Winds Casino Lodge & Event Center (13767 W County Road B, Hayward, WI 54843) In partnership with Visions Northwest 

Tuesday, May 9 | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM Pines Event Center (5840 Forest Ln, Rhinelander, WI 54501) In partnership with Grow North 

Tuesday, May 9 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Milwaukee 7 Office (301 W Wisconsin Ave, Ste 220, Milwaukee, WI 53203) In partnership with Milwaukee 7 

Monday, May 15 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM La Crosse Public Library Auditorium (800 Main St, La Crosse, WI 54601) In partnership with 7 Rivers Alliance 

Friday, May 19 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Fox Valley Technical College – Appleton Campus (1825 N Bluemound Dr, Appleton, WI 54912) In partnership with New North 

Monday, May 22 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM Virtual meeting on zoom 

Tuesday, May 23 | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Madison College Truax Gateway/Welcome Center (1701 Wright St., Madison, WI 53704) In partnership with Madison Region Economic Partnership 

Tuesday, May 23 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Platteville Public Library (225 W Main St, Platteville, WI 53818) In partnership with Prosperity Southwest 

Thursday, June 1 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Mid-State Technical College – Wisconsin Rapids Campus (502 32 nd St N, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494) In partnership with Centergy 

Tuesday, June 6, 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM Virtual meeting on zoom

Budget Committee Voting on BCPL Budget May 4!

The Joint Finance Committee, the Legislature's budget-writing committee, is voting on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands budget on Thursday, May 4 at 11 a.m. The Joint Finance Committee has the option to approve the BCPL funding increases proposed by the Governor, provide lower increases than what was proposed by the Governor, or remove the increases from the budget entirely. 

 

WEMTA members can contact their state senators and state representatives before May 4 and ask them to support Alternatives A1 and B1 in LFB Paper #205, which will provide a total increase of $268,800 over the biennium to BCPL to help hire vacant positions and keep up with the costs of managing the Common School Fund.

 

The funding increases proposed by the Governor would provide $69,400 per year to hire a Deputy Commissioner of Public Lands and a senior accountant, and $65,000 per year to keep up with trust fund management costs. 

 

Here are Some Talking Points You can Use:

 

• The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) is incredibly important to school libraries. BCPL manages the Common School Fund, the only dedicated source of K-12 school library funding in Wisconsin. 

• BCPL needs increased funding to offer the compensation necessary to attract candidates for vacant agency positions, including a Deputy Commissioner of Public Lands and senior accountant.  It is incredibly important to fill these key positions, which help administer and oversee the investment of the $1.4 billion school trust fund. 

• BCPL indicates that without increased funding for positions, existing agency employees will likely need to take on additional work and to postpone certain job tasks such as developing due diligence reports on new investments and managing certain fund investments. 

• BCPL gained expanded investment authority in 2016, which has allowed them to diversify and expand their investments, directly benefiting the Common School Fund, which has produced record disbursements to school libraries over the past several years. Increased supplies and services funding is needed to accompany the expanded investment activities.  

• A strong BCPL means a strong Common School Fund. Investing in the agency is an investment in school libraries. 

How to Contact Your Legislators:

 

The first step in contacting your legislator is knowing who your legislator is. The easiest way to do this is the tool found on the Legislature’s home page, at http://legis.wisconsin.gov. In the right-hand side of that page is a link that says Find My Legislators!  Type your address in the box below that link to get the names of your state representative and senator.

JFC to Remove Over 500 Items from the Governor's Budget on May 2

The Joint Finance Committee announced Friday that they will begin voting on the Governor's budget on May 2. At that time, they will remove over 500 items from the budget bill (see items of interest to WEMTA below).

Items of interest to WEMTA that are being removed from the budget on May 2 include:

1. Broadband consumer protections 

2. Rehired annuitants 

3. Grow-Your-Own Educator Funding

4.  $50,000 stipends for individuals pursuing a degree in library science and completing an internship in a public library. 

5. Broadband line extension grant program and Digital Equity Program 

6. Additional resources for the Office of Secretary of State 

Don't Forget to Vote Tuesday, April 4!

Wisconsin's Spring Election is being held Tuesday, April 4! The main statewide race is for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but there are also several statewide ballot questions related to bail and public benefit reform. There are many local races across the state for school board, mayor, city council and other judicial positions. 

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

See what's on your ballot: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Whats-On-My-Ballot

Find Your Polling Place: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place

Registering at the Polls: You can register at the polls on Election Day. You will need to bring proof of residence with you. 

Attend a Budget Public Hearing to Speak about School Library Issues

Governor Evers introduced his state budget bill on February 15, 2023, and it is now before the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee. The Committee will hold four public hearings across the state during April to get feedback from Wisconsinites. 

These hearings help the Committee make decisions about what proposed budget items to maintain, modify or remove--they can also add their own proposals to the budget bill. 

WEMTA encourages our members to attend a hearing to discuss issues facing school libraries. This is a great opportunity to not only advocate but also educate lawmakers on the role school libraries play in education. 

We have created a budget hearing toolkit to help you prepare to testify, which also outlines WEMTA's budget priorities.  

Hearing Schedule 

April 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.--Waukesha County Expo Center

April 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.--UW Eau Claire Davies Student Center

April 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.-- Wilderness Report (Glacier Canyon Conference Center) Wisconsin Dells

April 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.--Lakeland Union High School Theatre Minocqua 

Pupil Access to Harmful Materials in Library Databases Bill Introduced in Wisconsin

Senator Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) and Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) have introduced Senate Bill 10, which requires public libraries and schools to take steps to limit student access to harmful materials in library databases. It would also require schools to notify parents about classroom materials that may be offensive. 

In a memo to legislative colleagues, the bill authors argue that the legislation is needed because "children are being exposed to sexually explicit and psychologically damaging material through library databases via innocent books searches."

The bill requires public libraries and schools to do one of the following:

1. Equip each computer to which a pupil or minor has access with software

that will limit the pupil's or minor's ability to gain access to harmful material.

2.  Purchase Internet connectivity for each computer to which a pupil or minor

has access from an Internet service provider that provides filter services to limit

access to harmful material.

3. Develop and implement by January 1, 2024, a policy that establishes

measures to restrict pupils and minors from gaining computer access to harmful

material.

Governor Evers to Propose $50,000 in Funding for School Library Interns in State Budget

Governor Evers delivered his fifth State of the State address on Tuesday evening before a joint session of the Legislature. You can read a copy of the address here or watch it here. 

During the address, Evers highlighted the following initiatives he plans to undertake in his 2023-25 state budget, which will be released on February 15, 2023. Included in his priorities related to workforce, is a $50,000 proposal to provide stipends to school library interns.

Full initiatives of interest to WEMTA can be found below.

Education and Student Mental Health 

• Historic investments in education, including $20 million for literacy-related programming

• $50,000 for stipends for school library interns

• Making it easier for schools to hire retired teachers and staff 

• $9.4 million for stipends for student teachers and interns  

• $5 million for "grow your own" initiatives to recruit teachers

• $2 million to provide stipends for teachers who oversee student teachers or interns

• $270 million for student mental health