SECTION 1. Sections 29-3-1 and 29-3-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-3 entitled "State Law Library" are hereby amended to read as follows:

29-3-1. Custody -- Use of books. Custody -- Use of library materials. -- The supreme court shall have the custody of the state law library, and shall be responsible for the care and keeping thereof,. and shall permit no book to The state law library shall be open to the public; provided, however, no library material shall be taken therefrom, except for the use of the Rhode Island judiciary, the general assembly, or the justices of the supreme or superior courts, or upon the order of one of the justices, or upon the order of one of the standing masters in chancery; officers and employees of the executive branch, and attorneys at law admitted to practice in the courts of this state, or any other state, but any person may use the books within the library rooms.

29-3-2. Law librarian -- Hours library open. -- The supreme court shall appoint a librarian, who shall cause the library to be kept open daily, Sundays, and holidays excepted, from nine o'clock in the forenoon (9:00 a.m.) until five o'clock in the afternoon (5:00 p.m.), except during vacation summer hours of the courts, when it may be closed at four thirty o'clock in the afternoon (4:30 p.m.) and on Saturdays, when it may be closed at three o'clock in the afternoon (3:00 p.m.). The state court administrator, in consultation with the chief justice, shall have the authority to change the state law library hours for operational purposes and in the interest of public safety.

SECTION 2. Section 29-3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-3 entitled "State Law Library" is hereby repealed.

29-3-3. Reports and statutes from other states and United States. -- The secretary of state shall place in the law library, in the courthouse in Providence, all books of reports of judicial decisions and statutes which he or she has received for this state from other states, and from the United States.

SECTION 3. Section 29-3-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-3 entitled "State Law Library" is hereby amended to read as follows:

29-3-4. Appropriations. -- The general assembly shall annually appropriate such a sum as it may deem necessary, to be expended under the direction of the justices of the supreme court, for the purchase of books and other literature, and for their binding, and for clerical assistance and incidental expenses legal information, both print and electronic, for the state law library, the law library in the J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence, the law libraries in Kent, Newport and Washington Counties, and the judges and staff of the judiciary.

SECTION 4. Sections 8-2-8, 8-2-9 and 8-2-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-2 entitled "Superior Court" are hereby repealed.

8-2-8. Purchase and use of books of Newport county law library. -- The presiding justice of the superior court may purchase such law books as he or she may deem necessary or advisable for the use of the court in the courthouse of the state in the county of Newport, where the superior court may sit from time to time, and attorneys at law admitted to practice in the courts of this state may use the law books in the courthouse under such regulations as may be prescribed by the presiding justice, but no such law books shall be taken therefrom except upon an order of a justice of the superior court.

8-2-9. Custody of law books -- Estimate of funds required. -- The clerk of the superior court for Newport county shall have the custody of the law books and shall include each year in the annual financial estimates filed by him or her with the director of administration such sums for the purchase of books, for binding the books, and for shelving or bookcases as the presiding justice of the superior court may deem necessary.

8-2-10. Appropriations for Newport law library. -- The general assembly shall annually appropriate such sum as it may deem necessary for the purchase of the law books, for binding the books, and for shelving or bookcases in which to place the books; and the controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sum, or so much thereof as may be required from time to time, upon the receipt by him or her of proper vouchers approved by the presiding justice of the superior court.

SECTION 5. Section 42-8-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-8 entitled "Department of State" is hereby repealed.

42-8-11. Distribution of court reports. -- The secretary of state shall distribute the numbers of volumes of the Rhode Island reports as the same shall be published, as follows: three (3) copies to the librarian of congress, for the use of the United States; one copy to the secretary of each of the states and territories of the United States for the use of the states and territories; one copy to each of the justices of the supreme and superior courts; one copy to each of the justices, for use in his or her office, to be by him or her transmitted to his or her successor in office; one copy to the circuit judge of the United States court of appeals for the first circuit, whose official station is at Providence; one copy to the office of the chief judge of the United States court of military appeals in Providence; one copy to each of the district judges of the United States for the district of Rhode Island, those justices and judges, as newly appointed in succession, to receive all back numbers and volumes of reports so far as he or she can supply them; three (3) copies to each of the clerks of the courts of this state and of the courts of the United States held in this state; one copy to each of the district courts; one copy to the governor; one copy to the lieutenant governor; one copy to the attorney general; one copy each to the assistant attorneys general; one copy to the speaker of the house of representatives; one copy to the public utilities and carriers; one copy to each of the sheriffs; one copy to the United States marshal for the district of Rhode Island; one copy to the United States referee in bankruptcy; one copy to the United States probation officer; one copy to each of the town clerks; the copies to the clerks of courts, sheriffs, marshal, probation officer and town clerks to be kept as appendages to their offices; ten (10) copies to be kept in the state library in the state house in Providence; ten (10) copies to the state law library; one copy each to the libraries of Rhode Island college, university of Rhode Island, Brown university, Providence college, and Rhode Island school of design; one copy to the Redwood library; one copy to the Providence Athenaeum; one copy to the Rhode Island historical society; one copy to the Providence public library; one copy to the people's library in Newport; one copy to the free public library of Pawtucket; one copy to the William H. Hall free library of Edgewood; one copy to the legislative council; one copy to each member of the general assembly. He or she shall reserve the number of volumes for the use of the state that in his or her opinion is necessary, and shall, at his or her discretion, sell or cause to be sold the remaining volumes of the edition, accounting to the general treasurer for the proceeds of those sales.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect upon passage.