HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 14
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Susman, Amores,
Anderson, Angotti, Armstead, Ashley, Azinger, Boggs, Border,
Brown, Butcher, Campbell, Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael,
Coleman, Compton, Craig, DeLong, Dempsey, Douglas, Doyle, Ellem,
Ennis, Evans, Fahey, Faircloth, Flanigan, Fletcher, Fragale,
Frederick, Givens, Hall, Harrison, Hatfield, Hrutkay, Hubbard,
Kominar, Kuhn, Leach, Leggett, Louisos, Mahan, Manchin, Manuel,
Marshall, Mathews, McGraw, Mezzatesta, Michael, Morgan,
Overington, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, Pethtel, Pino, Poling,
Proudfoot, Prunty, Riggs, Romine, Schadler, Shaver, Shelton,
Smirl, J. Smith, L. Smith, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stemple,
Stephens, Susman, Swartzmiller, R. Thompson, Trump, Tucker,
Walters, Warner, Webb, Webster, C. White, G. White, H. White,
Williams, Wills and Yeager)
[Introduced February 6, 2002; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting a significant increase in the level of funding for the
West Virginia Library Commission, Services for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, to enable this program to keep pace
with changes and improvements in library services for the
blind as well as to move ahead with new projects and
initiatives, including its continued support for the News Line
Program.
Whereas, Library services provided by regional libraries
participating in the nationwide network of the National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, are the most widely used of all government-supported
services for the blind; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Library Commission, Services for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped, is a vital part of this network,
offering books and a wide variety of other information services to
blind West Virginians; and
Whereas, The Library Commission's program of Services for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped, under the leadership of Donna
Calvert, has, in recent years, achieved major improvements in terms
of efficiency, responsiveness, expansion of services; and overall
professionalism; and
Whereas, For the third consecutive fiscal year, the Library
Commission has included within its budget for Services for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped a significant appropriation to
assist with funding News Line, the dial-up newspaper and
information service operated by the National Federation of the
Blind of West Virginia, an appropriation which enables blind
persons throughout the State to access the News Line Service via a
toll-free telephone number; and
Whereas, Despite an on-going commitment to the expansion and
improvement of services to its blind patrons, the library program has been limited in its ability to expand into new areas and to
take new initiatives because the level of financial support for
these services, as provided through annual appropriations by the
West Virginia Legislature, has remained virtually unchanged for the
past several years; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That there be a significant increase in the level of funding
for the West Virginia Library Commission, Services for the Blind
and Physically Handicapped, so as to enable this program to keep
pace with changes and improvements in library services for the
blind as well as to move ahead with new projects and initiatives,
including its continued support for the News Line Program; and, be
it
Further Resolved, That Governor Bob Wise give serious
consideration to appointing a qualified blind individual to serve
on the State Library Commission and to consult with the National
Federation of the Blind of West Virginia for assistance in
identifying and appointing a qualified individual; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this concurrent resolution to the
Governor.