Streamline Library Project Funding

Section 1. Section 273-a of the education law, as amended by chapter 498 of the laws of 2011, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 480 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

§ 273-a. State aid for library construction. 1. State aid shall be provided for up to fifty percent of the total project approved costs, excluding feasibility studies, plans or similar activities, for projects for the installation and infrastructure of broadband services, and for the acquisition of vacant land and the acquisition, construction, renovation or rehabilitation, including leasehold improvements, of buildings of public libraries and library systems chartered by the regents of the state of New York or established by act of the legislature subject to the limitations provided in subdivision [five] six of this section and upon approval by the commissioner, except that state aid may be provided for up to seventy-five percent of the total project approved costs for buildings of public libraries that are located in an economically disadvantaged community. Provided however that the state liability for aid paid pursuant to this section shall be limited to funds appropriated for such purpose. Aid shall be provided on approved expenses incurred during the period commencing July first and ending June thirtieth for up to three years, or until the project is completed, whichever occurs first. Fifty percent of such aid shall be payable to each system or library upon approval of the application by the department. Forty percent of such aid shall be payable in the next state fiscal year. The remaining ten percent shall be payable upon project completion.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD00562-01-9

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2. Each single building project application for state aid shall be submitted by the board of trustees of the library or library system responsible for the operation of the subject building to the commissioner for his or her review and approval, after having been reviewed and approved by the governing board of the public library system of which such library is a member. Each single building project application shall:

a. demonstrate that resources are or shall be available to provide for maximum utilization of the project if approved;

b. contain verification in such form as may be acceptable to the commissioner that the total cost of the project, exclusive of state aid, has been or will be obtained;

c. demonstrate that library operations would be made more economical as a consequence of approval;

d. be limited to one project concerning such building, provided that no building shall be the subject of more than one single building project application per year;

e. contain documentation, where such an application requests state aid in an amount greater than fifty percent, demonstrating how the project will address the service needs of one or more economically disadvantaged communities. Such documentation may demonstrate need through poverty rates, concentrations of English language learners, low high school graduation rates, limited fiscal capacity or other relevant factors; and

f. provide such other information as may be required by the commissioner.

3. Coordinated applications for state aid allocated under paragraph b of subdivision six of this section shall be submitted by the public library system. The public library system shall be responsible for managing all coordinated projects. Each coordinated project application shall be approved by the board of trustees of each participating library and library system responsible for the operation of the said buildings. Coordinated project applications shall be submitted to the commissioner for his or her review and approval, after having been reviewed and approved by the governing board of the public library system of which such libraries are members. Each coordinated project application shall:

a. demonstrate that resources are or shall be available to provide for maximum utilization of the project if approved;

b. contain verification in such form as may be acceptable to the commissioner that the total cost of the project, exclusive of state aid, has been or will be obtained;

c. demonstrate that library operations would be made more economical as a consequence of approval;

d. provide that no one building shall be the subject of more than one coordinated project application per year; and

e. provide such other information as may be required by the commissioner.

4. In approving any single building project application that would receive state aid beyond fifty percent of the total project approved costs, the board of trustees of the library system shall give particular attention to addressing the library service needs of economically disadvantaged communities as provided for in paragraph e of subdivision two of this section.

[4.] 5. In approving any new single building or coordinated project application the commissioner shall consider the condition of existing libraries and, where appropriate, the needs of isolated or economically disadvantaged communities, provided that no application shall be

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approved for a project that is deemed by the commissioner to have been completed prior to the date of the application.

[5.] 6. Aid shall be distributed pursuant to this section as follows:

a. sixty percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be made available to libraries within each system by the commissioner in such manner as to insure that the ratio of the amount received within each system to the whole of the aid made available pursuant to this paragraph is no greater than the ratio of the population served by such system to the population of the state;

b. forty percent of the funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be made available to library systems or libraries within each system by the commissioner in such manner as to insure that an equal amount is received within each system in the state;

c. any funds made available pursuant to paragraph a or b of this subdivision which by April first of each succeeding fiscal year, are declined by such libraries or library systems for any reason, or which cannot otherwise be used by such libraries or library systems for any reason, shall be made available by the commissioner to other eligible libraries within such system, or if no such library can use such funds shall be reallocated among the other library systems and their libraries in a manner that will to the extent possible provide from such reallocated funds an equal amount to each such system.

[6.] 7. The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this section.

[7.] 8. The commissioner shall submit to the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly an annual report describing those projects that have received state funding of greater than fifty percent of project costs and the communities to be served by those projects.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however that the amendments to section 273-a of the education law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.