Monday April 24th: The Massachusetts House begins debate on its FY18 Budget

On Monday April 24th -the Massachusetts House begins debate on its FY18 Budget. MALC is actively following the Commonwealth’s FY18 budget process. We watch  for several “line items” in the budget- the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), funding to our libraries, tourism funding, and the film tax credit program. We also monitor what is filed in the “outside” section(s) of the budget.

You can watch the House budget debate in person at the State House or you can watch it live on your computer/ipad/smart phone.

See this past MALC blog post on how to do this:

http://artistsunderthedome.org/malc/diya/watch-ma-house-budget-debate/

MALC is following the budget amendments listed below.

When you click on the below link and then the amendment number, you will be able to see who the co-sponsors are and you can also track its progress via this link as well:

https://malegislature.gov/Budget/HouseDebate

List of amendments MALC is following for our sector:

For the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Tourism:

Representative Cory Atkins filed the following amendments for the tourism and the Massachusetts Cultural Council:

Amendment #6  for line item 0640-0300 for the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC)  to restore and increase the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s funding

For Tourism: Amendment #39 for line item 7008-1000 for the regional tourism councils (line item restoration, i.e., to restore their funding)

For the Libraries:

a. Representative Kate Hogan filed two amendments.

i. Amendment # 1039  for line item 7000-9501, State Aid to Public Libraries

ii.  Amendment #1007 for line item 7000-9508, Massachusetts Center for the Book – Line Item Restoration

b. Representative Byron Rushing filed one amendment

i.  Amendment #528 for line item 7000-9401 for State Aid to Regional Public Libraries  

c. Representative Paul Brodeur filed one amendment:

i. Amendment #1177 for line item 7000-9506 For the technology and automated resource sharing network

d. Representative Mary Keefe filed  three amendments:

i. Amendment #1153  for line item 7000-9101 For the operation of the board of library commissioners

ii. Amendment # 1061  for line item 7000-9402  For the talking book library at the Worcester public library

iii. Amendment #1105  for line item 7000-9406 For the Braille and talking book library in the city known as the town of Watertown