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Hi all -

Last week was a quiet week prior to the Governor's Inauguration. The next week will be busy as the House filing deadline is 1/31 and the Senate filing deadline is 2/2. TLA Administration is reviewing the bills that may impact libraries but there is no bill filed specifically about libraries as of 1/22. 

Legislative Bill Tracker

This last week focused on education bills concerning class size, free lunch, Minority Teaching Fellowship Program awards,  multiple bills about the 3rd grade retention bill and many more. Please see The Education Trust in Tennessee to see the status of education specific bills.

There were some questions about the status of last year's bill. Here is what I am aware of - 

Statewide School Library Coordinator - The position was posted around Thanksgiving with interviews following. To my knowledge, there has been no announcement on the position. 

Textbook Commission - Two active librarians have been named as voting members of the commission, Lee Houston and Katie Capshaw. The State School Library Coordinator will be a non-voting member 

January 20, 2023 (page SS1-2A). (2023, Jan 20). The Tennessean (2010-) Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/january-20-2023-page-ss1-2a/docview/2767366754/se-2

Link to Article 

"On other budgetary matters, Lee has said he wants to continue upping teacher pay. He’ll also likely set aside money so the all-volunteer state textbook commission can hire staff to manage a new library book appeals process authorized by the legislature in 2022."

December 12, 2022 (page 1A). (2022, Dec 12). The Tennessean (2010-) Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/december-12-2022-page-1a/docview/2753980700/se-2

Link to Article

Status of Textbook Commission's procedures and role for school libraries as of the December 2022 meeting

Thanks,

Andrea