2025 Legislative Agenda
FUNDING AND SUPPORTRILA urges Governor McKee and the General Assembly to pass the FY26 budget with full funding for libraries and AskRI.org at the 25% state level prescribed by the RI General Laws. This funding is critical for our public libraries, and was achieved in the FY23, FY24 & FY25 state budgets. PROTECTION OF THE FREEDOM TO READIn Rhode Island's obscenity and harmful to minors laws, there is no stated protection for library workers, educators, and museum professionals. All of the other New England states have these protections codified into law. Across the nation, with increasing frequency, librarians and educators have been subject to criminal prosecution for teaching about health and sexuality and/or circulating books with information about sex, or containing sexual or LGBTQ themes. Efforts to criminalize these normal practices of education and librarianship have included the introduction of legislation and criminal complaints to law enforcement. We will remain steadfast in our defense of intellectual freedom and the freedom to read. RILA advocates to codify legal protections & the Freedom to Read into state law. |
BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY
Rhode Island libraries (especially public libraries) provide free broadband access across our state to all Rhode Islanders, especially those who do not have access at home.
Libraries across the state continue to provide not only broadband access, but digital literacy instruction, technology help, and lending of devices including mobile internet hotspots.
Access to broadband internet for education, information, and civic engagement is a human right and a necessity to participate fully in our interconnected world.
RILA advocates for the state of Rhode Island and all 39 municipalities to recognize the importance of school librarians and school libraries to student achievement. RILA calls for school library media programs staffed by a certified full-time school librarian in every public school in Rhode Island.
EBOOKS
RILA advocates for fair access and pricing for digital content to libraries and opposes anti-competitive and unfair practices by publishers and digital content companies.
RILA also monitors any state legislation that may have an impact on libraries, library funding, and library workers.