On June 15, 2009, the Academic Research Information Access (ARIA) act was passed by the New York State Assembly. With no votes in opposition, the Assembly voted to enact ARIA, and thereby passed the most significant piece of legislation for academic and research libraries in a generation.
The vote by the full Assembly capped a day of whirlwind activities. ARIA started the day in the Way & Means Committee, having already successful passed the Assembly Committee on Economic Development. In Ways and Means, ARIA again recieved unanimous, bipartisan support and was quickly shuttled to the Assembly Rules Committee. Again, with unanimous, bipartisan support, the Rules Committee recommended ARIA to the full chamber.
Assigned calendar number 282, ARIA rapidly moved to “third reading,” (a prequisite for voting) and faced the full Assembly. Sheparded by prime sponsor Assembyman Robin Schimminger, ARIA passed the Assembly.
This is a major milestone for NYSHEI, and all public and private academic and research libraries. However, we must now await for the situation in the Senate to settle before we can make further progress.
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