Legislative update: a briefing for faculty and staff of the University System of Georgia, No. 8 (Feb. 25, 2002)

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
A Briefing for Faculty & Staff of the University System of Georgia

No. 8, Feb. 25, 2002

New State Library Director, Lamar Veatch, Making Rounds

A fresh new face on the Capitol grounds during the 2002 Legislative Session is Dr. Lamar Veatch, who took office as the state's library director in October 2001.
Veatch heads the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS), which
administers state and federal funding for 58 public library Dr. Lamar Veatch systems statewide. He is the former state library director for Alabama, where he was a leader in developing an online virtual library similar to GALILEO, Georgia's nationally recognized statewide electronic library. An Atlanta native, Veatch previously served as director of public libraries in Vidalia, Ga., and Louisville, Ga., as well as in Colorado and Texas.
He has spent considerable time at the Capitol during this

session, meeting legislators, building support for the budgetary needs of the state's public libraries and monitoring the progress of legislation affecting them.
"We are cautiously optimistic about getting an appropriate level of funding," Veatch said, referring to several line items in the FY 2002 Amended Budget and the FY 2003 Budget. "These are tough times, and we have to be modest in our requests, but yet continue to dream. The programs we've put in place over the last few years are getting attention, especially the PINES program."
PINES, which stands for Public Information Network for Electronic Services, has developed a statewide library card that has enhanced access to libraries. Gov. Roy E. Barnes has recommended $198,000 in the FY `03 Budget to continue funding this program, which was initially supported by lottery

and Y2K money.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives supported the Governor's recommendation of $1.6 million in the amended budget to partially fund the purchase of filtering software that will enable the libraries to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act.

In addition to crucial operating funds, GPLS has asked for renewed state funding for the construction of new buildings and additions/renovations to existing facilities. The last GPLS capital project to receive state
See "Veatch," Page 2 ...

Progress Report on Bills of Interest

The University System Office is monitoring many bills of interest to System institutions.
N House Bill 1231, authored by Rep. Chuck Sims (D-Douglas), would require public and private post-secondary schools to report to the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service any international student who fails to attend class. The bill is currently assigned to a subcommittee chaired by Rep. Barbara Mobley (D-Decatur) of the House Education Committee. Current language requires schools to report such students if they miss two consecutive weeks of class. The subcommittee had not

yet scheduled a meeting on this legislation at press time.
N House Bill 1342, requiring publishers to provide textbooks in electronic format, will receive a hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 27 (3:30 p.m., Room 230 of the Capitol), by the House Committee on Higher Education. The intention of HB 1342 is to improve access to textbooks for all students. The bill's definition of a textbook includes any printed material required by a professor for a course and requires the material to be available in electronic format. Rep. DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) is the lead author for this bill.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- February 25, 2002, Issue No. 8

Veatch
Continued from Page 1...
funding was approved in the state's FY '96 Amended Budget, and a 1999 study showed that libraries in more than 90 Georgia counties do not meet the state's minimum space standard.
"Our current request would fund nine public library projects," Veatch said. "Quite a few legislators have expressed interest in funding these projects. We would hope that the GPLS Capital Budget would become a yearly budget item. The public library's construction program really needs to be revived."
The House has added $3.3 million in bonds to the amended budget for the construction of new libraries in Berrien, Telfair, Toombs and Wheeler counties.
In addition to building new libraries, Veatch hopes to design a single facility to house the GPLS administrative offices, the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and the state library collection of historical and genealogical items. Currently, these functions occupy leased facilities in three separate locations in Atlanta.

"The facilities housing the Library for the Blind and the state collection are in sad shape, and our administrative offices are in rented space that is subleased from the Department of Technical and Adult Education. Eventually, they will want that space back," Veatch said.
"We would have a much more efficient operation and the Library for the Blind would be much more accessible to the blind and handicapped if we were all located in a

single facility with easy access to public transportation."
The Governor has recommended $150,000 to fund preliminary planning for such a facility in the FY '03 Budget, which is still being reviewed by the House.
Veatch said he intends to continue working hard to enhance the visibility of the state's libraries and to gain support for the funding needed to provide Georgia citizens with organized information and services.

"Many legislators have expressed strong interest in our requests, and that has been very encouraging," he said.
Veatch holds an associate of arts degree from Young Harris College, a B.A. from the University of Georgia, and a master's degree in librarianship from Emory University. He also earned an advanced master's degree and Ph.D. in library science, both from Florida State University.

In Other News

Barnes Debuts New Plan for Gas Sales

Gov. Roy E. Barnes proposal would step up tition. Price controls

on Thursday

both consumer-

would be imposed if

unveiled a new plan for protection measures fewer than four sup-

deregulat-ing natural- and competition

pliers serve more than

gas service in Georgia among marketers. The 90 percent of the

that ad-dresses

legislation would es- market for natural gas

problems with the

tablish a "last resort" in Georgia.

state's 1997 law that supplier for low-

have cropped up

income citizens and

recently. State officials those refused by other

have received numer- pro-viders because of a

ous complaints about history of bad credit or

billing and customer non-payment. It also

service since unregu- would create a con-

lated companies began sumer "bill of rights" to

selling natural gas.

ensure a high level of

Many legislators favor re-regulating suppliers, but Barnes called this an impractical solution. "The fact is, our market is deregulated, and you can't just undo it," he said.
The governor's

customer service from suppliers. In addition, the plan would allow non-profit electric membership corporations to enter the natural-gas market, increasing compe-

-- 2 --

"The actions I've recommended today are what I believe are the first steps we need to take" in addressing the situation," the governor said. "I'm sure they won't be the last."
Barnes' legislation could be introduced in the House as early as today. Senate Majority Whip Jimmy Skipper (D-Americus) is working with the governor's staff to draft the bill.