About

The Legislative Panel

The Legislative Panel is part of the Maryland Library Association.  The Legislative Panel’s purpose is:

• To monitor state and federal legislation that has an impact on libraries, including issues such as access to information, telecommunications and literacy.
• To attend hearings and give testimony in support or opposition of pending legislation or budget decisions.
• To maintain frequent contact with members of the Maryland General Assembly, Congress and other elected officials to garner support for libraries.
• To keep library representatives and the MLA membership informed of state and federal legislation that impacts libraries.

The Legislative Panel meets monthly to discuss legislative issues, share information, and coordinate efforts to further the mission of libraries throughout the state.

The Legislative Panel Blog

The blog started in October 2009 as a project of the 2009 Legislative Officers:  Mary Baykan, Mary Hastler and Natalie Edington. The blog is now maintained by the current Legislative Officers.

As grassroots advocacy becomes even more vital, we hope that this will be a place for Maryland’s libraries to go to find information on federal and state legislation and issues with impact on Maryland’s libraries.