Washington eBulletin 鈥� June 2021

COVID-19 STIMULUS BENEFITS NOW AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE LAW LIBRARIES聽

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the (ARPA), a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package that contains several benefits for the legal information industry. This includes the following new programs:

  • The Institute of Museum and Library Services鈥� (IMLS) , which will provide direct support to museums and libraries, including eligible law libraries, to address community needs created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information is available on . The deadline for submitting applications is June 28, 2021.
  • The Federal Communication Commission鈥檚 (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund, which will provide funds to eligible schools and libraries, including public law libraries, to support the purchase of Wi-Fi hotspots, laptops, tablets, and other devices to loan to patrons. More information is available on the . The application is expected to open in June 2021.

U.S. territories, states, and local and tribal governments received $350 billion in funding through ARPA. Law libraries may benefit from some of these funds, through aid to small businesses and nonprofits and investments in education, government services, and broadband infrastructure.

ARPA also includes another round of stimulus checks for individuals and provided an additional $300 per week of enhanced unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021.

FUNDING FOR THE LEGAL INFORMATION INDUSTRY / FISCAL YEAR 2022

President Biden鈥檚 (Budget) includes proposed budget increases for the legislative branch agencies that provide permanent public access to and preservation of essential government information, including the Library of Congress, the Law Library of Congress, and the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO). The Budget also includes increases to several grant programs that promote public access to legal information and support access to justice, including the IMLS and the Legal Services Corporation. 成人视频supports the President鈥檚 proposals to increase funding for these agencies.

In May 2021, 成人视频submitted testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee in support of funding for the Library of Congress, the Law Library of Congress, and the GPO. Funding for these agencies will support greater access to legal information, including the digitization of legal materials and preservation partnerships with law libraries. Funding for these agencies is especially important as their workload has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ADDITIONAL FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

In addition to advocating for funding for the legal information industry, 成人视频has been advocating for additional legislative priorities, including the following issues:

BALANCED COPYRIGHT LAWS

In March 2021, 成人视频submitted comments to (R-NC) on his draft legislation, the Digital Copyright Act of 2021 (DCA), which would update the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The proposed changes in the draft legislation amend the DMCA in ways that would significantly impact the ability of law libraries to provide equitable access to copyrighted materials. While 成人视频supports some of the changes in the DCA that promote access to legal information, we are concerned that other changes may limit the abilities of law libraries to provide access to copyrighted works and preserve these works. 成人视频continues to advocate for the needs of law libraries as Senator Tillis works on updates to the DMCA.

In April 2021, 成人视频submitted comments on the development of regulations affecting law libraries in the implementation of the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act. Under the new law, qualifying law libraries will be eligible to preemptively opt out of proceedings before the Copyright Claims Board, which was established to evaluate copyright infringement matters for small claims. We will share more information with members about how to opt out once it is available.

EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OFFICIAL LEGAL INFORMATION

成人视频continues to advocate for legislation to modernize the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) to provide additional flexibility for law libraries to meet the government information needs of their users and their organizations.

In April 2021, the GPO聽selected聽础础尝尝鈥檚 nominee,聽Allen R. Moye along with fellow 成人视频member Richard A. Leiter, to serve on the Depository Library Council (DLC). Leiter and Moye join 成人视频member Jennifer Bryan Morgan on the DLC. As members of the DLC, Moye, Leiter, and Morgan provide advice and recommendations to the GPO on improving policy and operational matters related to the FDLP.

UNIFORM ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL ACT

成人视频continues to work with 成人视频chapters to advocate for the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act. In May 2021, 成人视频president Emily R. Florio discussed 础础尝尝鈥檚 support for UELMA on a free hosted by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC). The webinar also featured 成人视频past president Barbara Bintliff, who served as the reporter for ULC鈥檚 UELMA Drafting Committee. Recently, the has been advocating for UELMA in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the has been advocating for UELMA in Massachusetts.

础础尝尝鈥檚 UELMA resources page includes advocacy materials that can be used by law librarians and legal information professionals to support state advocacy efforts. Please email Janet Peros, chair of the 成人视频Government Relations Committee or Emily Feltren, 成人视频director of government relations if you would like more information.

SAVE THE DATE / VIRTUAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY TRAINING聽

The 成人视频Virtual Legislative Advocacy Training will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. The training is free for 成人视频members. Additional details will be available soon.