Forwarded message concerning the State Library of Michigan: > > Our Continued Struggle > > > We’ve rounded the first bend – but there’s still a long way to go….. > > > Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 and Senate Bills 503-527 all passed > the Senate committee and also passed on the Senate Floor. Now it’s > time to enlighten the House. > > > There are two avenues of thought about SCR18 making it through the > House. > > 1) The House is Democratic by makeup. Our chances > aren’t as good if legislators vote in favor of their party leader – > in this case the governor. > > 2) There are many first term representatives this year. > These new members seem to be more likely to vote in favor of that’s > best for their constituents. The old rule of following party lines > is generally thought of as old school. Common sense and informative > decision making are the trend. > > > After Tom Koselka, Joanne Harvey, and I spoke at the Senate hearing > last Wednesday morning and listened to the voting process after > lunch, Tom and I spent the rest of the day speaking to the staff of > as many of the House members as we could. We gave them fact sheets > about the Library of Michigan building. We asked them to please > consider and vote favorably for SCR18 and for SB503-527 when these > items are debated in the house. All but one said they would pass our > information on to their representative. We asked if they had heard > from their constituents. Most had heard from two to five people per > day. Two had not heard from anyone. > > > So, here's the deal. Western Michigan Genealogical Society > president Don Bryant reminded us of Representative Joan Bauer’s > speech about the importance of receiving 10 e-mails per day. . > Emails are good. Phone calls are better. Letters are best. Each > representative needs to receive at least 10. Ten is golden! We can > do this. Send to your own Representative and to the representatives > of where you are connected. “I am a member of the genealogical > community. My family roots are in your district.” > > > SCR18: > > If SCR18 has gone to the House Judiciary Committee, the members are > listed on our website listed below.. Tell those representatives > SCR18 Keep needs to be into and out of committee ASAP. Members of > that committee need to hear from us to “expedite a favorable vote > and hurry Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 on to the House > floor.” Remind your representative that time is of the essence > as the Governor's Executive order takes effect unless the House > votes favorably before September 11. > > > When SCR18 goes to the House Floor, we still need to write our > representatives and remind them to vote favorably ASAP. > > > SB503-527 Watch for updates on the progress of this bill package on > the Legislature website or you may link to it from our own http://mimgc.org/LOM.html > . > > > HR140 – A resolution sponsored by Rick Jones. http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2009-HR-0140 > . This sends a clear message urging the Governor to devise a plan > to assure that the Library of Michigan collection remains intact and > accessible in Lansing. “Last Action: 08/19/2009 – referred HR140 to > Committee on Government Operations”. House Resolution 140 addresses > our concerns about the collection staying together… but does not > mention the building. > > > So, Bottom Line. We urge you to Keep Writing, Keep Calling, and > Keep the Emails flowing. > > > AND - Please remember the Michigan Library Association Rally on > Thursday, September 10th. They supported us and it’s our turn to > support them. Plan to attend! The capitol steps – 10AM. Remind > your representative that on September 10th to watch for the color > RED. We’ll be there in force. > > > Sue Irvine, Vice President > > Michigan Genealogical Council > > > > > > -- __,_._,___