 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         5989--A
            Cal. No. 651
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                      March 4, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen.  BYNOE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the  Committee  on  Libraries  --  reported
          favorably  from  said  committee,  ordered to first and second report,
          ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered  reprinted,  retaining
          its place in the order of third reading

        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to library cards issued
          to minors
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  Section 816 of the education law, as added by chapter 247
     2  of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
     3    § 816. Local library and school partnerships. 1.  Legislative  intent.
     4  In order to promote and encourage children to read and learn outside the
     5  classroom,  this  law  seeks to encourage local libraries and schools to
     6  work together to  promote  the  availability  of  library  services  and
     7  resources.
     8    2.  Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms
     9  shall be defined as follows:
    10    a. "School district" shall mean any  public  school  district  in  the
    11  state of New York that contains one or more schools with any combination
    12  of grades from and including kindergarten through grade twelve.
    13    b.  "Public  library"  shall mean any public or association library as
    14  defined in section two hundred fifty-three of this title.
    15    3. Upon the registration of a minor  pursuant  to  section  thirty-two
    16  hundred five of this chapter to attend full time kindergarten offered by
    17  a school district, parents or persons in parental relation to such minor
    18  shall have the option to check a space on such registration form author-
    19  izing  such  minor  to  receive a local library card from the respective
    20  local library.
    21    4. Upon the request of a public library that  is  located  within  the
    22  boundaries of a school district, the district shall disseminate informa-

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08557-02-5
        S. 5989--A                          2
 
     1  tional  materials  provided  by the library regarding the public library
     2  and applications for public library cards to students  enrolled  in  the
     3  school  district.  Such  materials shall be distributed to any or all of
     4  the following, as requested by the public library:
     5    a. annually to every student of such school district upon [his or her]
     6  their  entry  into  [kindergarten]  grade one, grade six and grade nine,
     7  except that a library and school may agree to  alternate  or  additional
     8  grades;
     9    b.  to  every  student  upon  [his  or  her] their enrollment as a new
    10  student; and
    11    c. available at all times in the school library in each school  within
    12  the  school  district  for  students  and parents or persons in parental
    13  relation to a student who wish to obtain such materials.
    14    [4.] 5. The  director  of  each  participating  public  library  shall
    15  consult  annually  with  the  school district in order to coordinate the
    16  provision of materials containing  information  regarding  the  library,
    17  instructions  on  how students may obtain a library card and an applica-
    18  tion for a library card.
    19    [5.] 6. Each public library that is located  in  the  school  district
    20  shall provide sufficient copies of such materials to the school district
    21  for  distribution  as  described  in  subdivision  [three]  four of this
    22  section so that  each  school  may  satisfy  the  requirements  of  this
    23  section.
    24    [6.]  7.  In  the  event there is no public library located within the
    25  boundaries of a school district,  such  school  district  shall  not  be
    26  required to comply with this section.
    27    [7.]  8.  The commissioner shall have the authority to establish rules
    28  and regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
    29    [8.] 9. Nothing in this act shall require a school district to  expend
    30  additional funds in order to comply with the provisions of this section.
    31    [9.]  10.  This  section  shall  not  apply  to a school district or a
    32  library in a city of one million or more where such district or  library
    33  are  subject  to a local law which was adopted prior to the enactment of
    34  this section and which provides for the distribution of library  materi-
    35  als in public schools.
    36    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    37  it shall have become a law.
Relates to library cards for minors

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