2013 -- S 0395

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO LIBRARIES

     Introduced By: Senator Donna M. Nesselbush

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 29-6-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 29-6 entitled "State Aid to

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Libraries" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     29-6-2. Public library services. -- (a) For each city or town, the state's share to support

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local public library services shall be equal to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of both the

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amount appropriated and expended in the second preceding fiscal year by the city or town from

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local tax revenues and funds from the public library's private endowment that supplement the

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municipal appropriation; provided, however, the state in any year shall not be obligated to match

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any amount from the endowment that exceeds six percent (6%) of the three (3) year average

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market value, calculated at the end of the calendar year, of the investments in the endowment.

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The amount of the grant payable to each municipality in any year in accordance with this section

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shall be reduced proportionately in the event that the total of those grants in any year exceeds the

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amount appropriated that year for the purposes of this section. Provided further, however, that the

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reference year for the state's share of support to be paid in the year ending June 30, 2008 shall be

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the third preceding year. Provided, however, for the year ending June 30, 2015, the state’s share

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of support shall be equal to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of both the amount appropriated

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and expended in the second (2nd) preceding fiscal year by the city or town from local tax revenues

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and twelve and one half percent (12.5%) of the funds from the public library’s private endowment

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that supplement the municipal appropriation; and, provided, further, however, for the years

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ending June 30, 2016 and thereafter, the state’s share of support shall be equal to at least twenty-

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five percent (25%) of the amount appropriated and expended in the second (2nd) preceding fiscal

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year by the city or town from local tax revenues.

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      (b) Those public libraries that do not qualify for aid pursuant to the provisions of

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subsection (a) of this section may apply for resource sharing grants, to be used exclusively for the

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purpose of payment of the ocean state libraries (OSL) annual assessment charges. Eligible public

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libraries shall apply directly to the office of library and information services for these resource

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sharing grants, and the grants shall be awarded to the libraries individually, rather than to the city

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or town. Eligible libraries must be or become members of the OSL upon receipt of the grant,

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serve municipalities that meet minimum standards for Rhode Island public libraries, and meet

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standards for member libraries of the library of Rhode Island (LORI) network.

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      (c) Provided, that notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary,

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the state's share to support local public library services shall also include funding to the Pontiac

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Free Library in the city of Warwick for said library's participation in the ocean state libraries

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(OSL). Such funding shall be provided regardless of whether the city of Warwick appropriates

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funds from local tax revenues to said library. The amount of said state support shall be equal to

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the average of the amount appropriated by the city of Warwick to each library in said

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municipality for participation in the OSL program, in accordance with the provisions of and

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formulas set forth in subsection (a) herein. Provided, further, that in the event the city of Warwick

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appropriates funds from local tax revenues for the Pontiac Free Library, then the amount of the

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state's share to said library shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a)

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herein for any year in which such calculation is applicable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO LIBRARIES

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     This act would increase the state’s contribution of matching funds to public library

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support based upon library endowment funds expended from six percent (6%) to twelve and one

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half percent (12.5%) commencing in 2015.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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