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State Library faces cuts; Braille Institute funding, cybersecurity and law‑library fee proposals draw scrutiny
Summary
At the subcommittee hearing lawmakers and witnesses discussed the administration's directive that the California State Library plan for a 7.95% reduction, vacancy eliminations, the Braille Institute's loss of state funding and separate proposals to fund cybersecurity upgrades and reestablish a special fee account for the Witkin State Law Library.
The California State Library told an Assembly budget subcommittee that it must implement the statewide operational reductions ordered in the 2024 budget act and manage the impact of vacancy‑sweep eliminations, while public commenters and library officials described the effects on specialized services for blind and print‑disabled Californians and outlined proposals to shore up cybersecurity and the Witkin State Law Library.
Public commenters representing the Braille Institute of America told the committee the nonprofit’s library services in Southern California have lost state funding and urged restoration. “Our funding has been completely cut from the state of California budget,” said Jim Dimitri Kales, identified as CEO of the Braille Institute of America, during the hearing’s public comment period. Braille Institute speakers described services they provide—braille books, audiobooks, large print and in‑home support for patrons across 10 Southern California…
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