Federal Soon, we’ll have a Republican presidential administration, as well as a Republican majority in the House and Senate. Legislative priorities will likely remain unclear until Trump’s cabinet is officially in place. To learn more about the nominated cabinet members, including their beliefs, organizational ties, campaign donations, and track records, considering exploring some of the
Author: Carmen Howard
Legislative Update, 08/05/24
Federal The House Appropriations Committee has approved a proposed 15% cut to the only federal library funding agency. This budget will be presented to the full House before the end of the year, so now is the time to urge representatives to take a strong stance against it. Tell Congress to stop the cuts to…
Legislative Update, 03/18/2024
Federal Artificial Intelligence Although Artificial Intelligence has received Federal scrutiny, states are pulling ahead in the effort to legislate the use/misuse of AI. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Law Firm, Husch Blackwell, has assembled and summarized most of the proposed bills. For more insights into the need for federal input, read their February analysis: https://www.huschblackwell.com/newsandinsights/will-federal-initiatives-stave-off-disparate-state-level-regulation-of-artificial-intelligence Reproductive…
Legislative Update, 02/22/2024
State The Illinois Library Association is currently monitoring several bills moving through the state legislature. Visit https://www.ila.org/advocacy/illinois-legislative-issues/legislative-issues/bill-monitoring to see the full list. There are also some general medical legislative items that we may see at the reference desk:
Legislative Update, 12/01/2023
Federal In October, the White House published the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights: Making Automated Systems Work for the American People”. This is NOT a legal document, but is a strong indicator of which elements of artificial intelligence will be prioritized for policy making. On November 28, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health…
Legislative Update, 10/16/2023
Federal News Several pending Supreme Court cases could negatively impact healthcare and scientific progress. In particular, they could restrict access to abortions, limit funds for preventative care, and hinder the ability to update policies according to new research. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/05/supreme-court-cases-health-care-00119996 Illinois NewsAs part of the new ‘Ban Books Bans” law (Public Act 103-0100) certain procedural or…
Legislative Update – 06/05/2023
Illinois News / Update on HB2789: HB2789 LIBRARY SYSTEMS-BOOK BANNING is getting national and international attention. HB2789 has been sent to the Governor’s desk for signature. Here’s a small sample of what is being written about this first-of-its-kind legislation:
Legislative Update – 05/11/2023
A few Illinois Bills & Resolutions of interest: House Resolution (HR0261) – OSTEOSARCOMA AWARENESS DAY – Declares September 15, 2023 as “Osteosarcoma Awareness Day”. Urges the federal government to allocate more funding toward finding a cure for osteosarcoma. – Status: Referred to the Rules Committee on 5/8/23. Follow the Resolution here. Senate Bill 69 (SB0069)…
Legislative Update – 04/04/2023
An update on activity in Illinois
Legislative News, 02/17/2023
State: The Illinois Legislature is in session and our senators and representatives are busy introducing several new bills, resolutions, and amendments. Most are currently being sent to the Assignments Committee as the next step in the process. Stay tuned! In the meantime, sign up for the Illinois Library Association (ILA) advocacy opportunities starting Wednesday, February…