S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8976

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 10, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. REILLY, LANCMAN, CLARK, GALEF, COLTON, MILLMAN,
  M. MILLER,  JAFFEE,  GABRYSZAK,  WEPRIN,  HOOPER,  BARRON,  N. RIVERA,
  CAMARA,  LINARES,  P. RIVERA,  CASTRO, ENGLEBRIGHT, STEVENSON, MENG --
  Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRENNAN, GIBSON,  GOTTFRIED,  JEFFRIES,
  V. LOPEZ,  MAGNARELLI,  McENENY,  SCHIMEL,  THIELE  --  read  once and
  referred to the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology

AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  requiring  school
  districts  to  distribute  to students in each school building written
  information about the public library and how to obtain a library card

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 815 to
read as follows:
  S  815.  DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD APPLICATION MATERIALS. 1.
DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL
BE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
  A. "SCHOOL DISTRICT" SHALL MEAN ANY  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  IN  THE
STATE OF NEW YORK THAT CONTAINS ONE OR MORE SCHOOLS WITH ANY COMBINATION
OF  GRADES FROM AND INCLUDING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE WHICH IS
LOCATED OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY.
  B. "PUBLIC LIBRARY" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLIC OR  ASSOCIATION  LIBRARY  AS
DEFINED IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE OF THIS TITLE WHICH IS LOCATED
OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY.
  2. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATIONAL
MATERIALS  ABOUT  THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY
CARDS TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS FOLLOWS:
  A. ANNUALLY TO EVERY STUDENT OF SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT UPON HIS  OR  HER
ENTRY INTO KINDERGARTEN, GRADE SIX AND GRADE NINE;
  B. TO EVERY STUDENT UPON HIS OR HER ENROLLMENT AS A NEW STUDENT; AND
  C.  AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IN EACH SCHOOL WITHIN
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS WHO  WISH  TO  OBTAIN  SUCH
MATERIALS.
  3.  EACH  SCHOOL  DISTRICT SHALL CONSULT ANNUALLY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF
EACH PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD09184-06-1

A. 8976                             2

IN ORDER TO REQUEST COPIES OF MATERIALS CONTAINING INFORMATION REGARDING
THE LIBRARY, INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW STUDENTS MAY OBTAIN A LIBRARY CARD  AND
AN APPLICATION FOR A LIBRARY CARD.
  4.  EACH  PUBLIC  LIBRARY THAT IS LOCATED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL
PROVIDE SUFFICIENT COPIES OF SUCH MATERIALS TO THE SCHOOL  DISTRICT  FOR
DISTRIBUTION  AS  DESCRIBED  IN  SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SO THAT
EACH SCHOOL MAY SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.
  5. IN THE EVENT THERE IS NO PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATED WITHIN THE  BOUNDA-
RIES OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT, SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO
COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION.
  6.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH RULES AND
REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
  7. NOTHING IN THIS ACT SHALL REQUIRE A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO EXPEND ADDI-
TIONAL FUNDS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. This act shall  take  effect  on  the  first  of  September  next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.