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History
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1249
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to state aid to libraries and library systems
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Robert Reilly
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7238
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to state aid to libraries and library systems
Purpose
To provide some flexibility to libraries and library systems during periods of reduced funding for libraries.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill amends 272(1)(j) of the Education Law to provide that, if state funds appropriated for library aid are less than 85% of the statutory formula amounts, the financial penalties for failing to meet the local maintenance of effort requirements would be waived.
Section 2 of this bill adds a new paragraph (m) to 272(1) of the Education Law. This new paragraph provides that, if state funds appropriated for library aid are less than 85% of the statutory formula amounts, then the Education Commissioner may waive the requirements of the following programs upon request by a library system: 273(4)(b) regarding Medical Information Services Program Aid; 273(4)(c) regarding Hospital Library Services Aid; 273(6) regarding Regional Bibliographic Databases and Interlibrary Resources Sharing Aid; and 284(1)(g) regarding school library automation aid. Approval of a waiver shall be based on criteria established by the Commissioner; and any such waiver may only be granted on an annual basis.
Justification
This bill would provide increased flexibility for library systems in meeting the needs of their member libraries and their communities during times of reduced state appropriations for statutory library programs. Specifically, the bill would allow a library system to request the waiver of certain programs and requirements if the actual amount of state aid that is appropriated for libraries is more than 15% less than the amount that is otherwise authorized by statute. This will give library systems more discretion in determining how to allocate their limited resources to best meet the needs of their libraries and communities.
The bill also seeks to protect libraries from experiencing a triple financial hit, in which they receive less funding from the state as well as less funding from the locality, which in turn would generate a further reduction in state aid for not meeting the local maintenance of effort requirements.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.