NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7161

Senate Bill S7161

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to conducting a study on the access of state public libraries and library systems to capital funding

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 20, 2018	committed to rules
Jun 05, 2018	advanced to third reading
Jun 04, 2018	2nd report cal.
May 31, 2018	1st report cal.1458
Jan 03, 2018	referred to education

Votes

- May 31, 2018 - Education Committee Vote
  S7161
  
  17
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  1
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Education Committee Vote: May 31, 2018
      
      aye (17)
      
      Avella
      
      Breslin
      
      Brooks
      
      Gallivan
      
      Hamilton
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Mayer
      
      Peralta
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Robach
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Stavisky
      
      absent (1)
      
      Montgomery
      
      excused (1)
      
      Croci

2017-S7161 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §273-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5374
2021-2022: S3706
2023-2024: S1418

2017-S7161 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to conducting a study on the access of state public libraries and library systems to capital funding; the department of education, in consultation with the dormitory authority, the office of the state comptroller, and the public library systems of the state, shall assess and report on the capital needs of such public library systems, including public libraries and association libraries.

2017-S7161 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7161

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
conducting a study on the access of state public libraries and library
systems to capital funding; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation would require the Commissioner of the State Education
Department, in consultation with the dormitory authority, the *-4/office
of the state comptroller, and the public library systems of the state to
complete a study on the capital needs of libraries and library systems
in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This legislation would require the Commissioner of the State Education
Department, in consultation with the dormitory authority, the office of
the state comptroller, and the public library systems of the state to

conduct a study and identify current options available to libraries for
financing capital projects along with their projected needs over a five
year period. Additionally, such study shall identify any special needs,
barriers to accessing financing and options for financing for public
libraries serving communities with populations of less than seventy-five
hundred. The legislation would require such study and recommendations to
be provided to the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Temporary
President of the Senate, the Chair of the Assembly Libraries and Educa-
tion Technology Committee, and the Chair of the Senate Select Committee
on Libraries.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State's public libraries are rapidly aging. More than 48% of
local libraries are over 60 years old and an additional 33% are over 30
years old. Failure to adequately fund local libraries' capital needs
falls disproportionately on communities with diminished economic
resources the lack of investment has forced the sale of some public
libraries. Additionally, libraries in economically disadvantaged commu-
nities cannot afford basic investment in energy-efficient upgrades and
increased operating costs have forced shorter hours, reduced staffing,
and reduced programming. Public libraries remain unable to accommodate
advances in technological infrastructure, make investments in energy
efficiency, or increase access for persons with disabilities due to the
lack of access to capital financing. The purpose of this study is to
identify and provide recommendations for the improvement of access to
capital funding to our public libraries and public library systems.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate

2017-S7161 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7161
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 3, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to conducting a study  on
   the  access  of  state public libraries and library systems to capital
   funding; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon  expira-
   tion thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 273-a of the education law is amended by  adding  a
 new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
   8.  THERE  SHALL  BE A STUDY CONDUCTED RELATING TO THE ACCESS OF STATE
 PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS TO CAPITAL FUNDING.
   A. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DORMITORY  AUTHORITY,  THE
 OFFICE  OF  THE STATE COMPTROLLER, AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS OF THE
 STATE, SHALL ASSESS AND REPORT ON  THE  CAPITAL  NEEDS  OF  SUCH  PUBLIC
 LIBRARY  SYSTEMS,  INCLUDING PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND ASSOCIATION LIBRARIES.
 SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (1) IDENTIFICATION OF  CURRENT  OPTIONS  AVAILABLE  TO  LIBRARIES  AND
 LIBRARY SYSTEMS FOR FINANCING CAPITAL PROJECTS;
   (2)  THE PROJECTED CAPITAL NEEDS OF LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS OVER
 A FIVE YEAR PERIOD;
   (3) IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR  LIBRARIES  AND  LIBRARY
 SYSTEMS TO FINANCE CAPITAL PROJECTS;
   (4)  INFORMATION  RELATED  TO  DORMITORY AUTHORITY FINANCING OF PUBLIC
 LIBRARIES AND PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS IN THE PAST TEN YEARS INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO: THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS
 THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR DORMITORY AUTHORITY FINANCING; WHAT PERCENTAGE  OF
 PUBLIC  LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS ARE DENIED FUNDING FROM THE DORMI-
 TORY AUTHORITY AND THE REASONS FOR SUCH DENIALS; THE TOTAL COST  OF  THE
 PROPOSED PROJECTS; AND THE AMOUNT OF FINANCING PROVIDED FOR THE PROJECTS
 AND THE NUMBER OF PROJECT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED EACH YEAR;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD11152-01-7

 S. 7161                             2
 
   (5)  IDENTIFICATION  OF SPECIAL NEEDS, BARRIERS TO ACCESSING FINANCING
 AND OPTIONS FOR FINANCING FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES SERVING COMMUNITIES  WITH
 POPULATIONS OF LESS THAN SEVENTY-FIVE HUNDRED; AND
   (6)  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL FUNDING
 FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS.
   B. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL  BE
 DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
   (1)  "PUBLIC  LIBRARY"  SHALL  MEAN ANY PUBLIC OR ASSOCIATION LIBRARY,
 OTHER THAN A PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL OR PUBLIC  SCHOOL  LIBRARY,  ESTAB-
 LISHED  FOR FREE PUBLIC PURPOSES BY OFFICIAL ACTION OF A MUNICIPALITY OR
 DISTRICT OR THE LEGISLATURE, WHERE THE WHOLE  INTERESTS  BELONG  TO  THE
 PUBLIC;  THE  TERM  "ASSOCIATION  LIBRARY"  SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO MEAN A
 LIBRARY ESTABLISHED AND CONTROLLED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY A  GROUP  OF
 PRIVATE  INDIVIDUALS  OPERATING AS AN ASSOCIATION, CLOSED CORPORATION OR
 AS TRUSTEES UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF A WILL OR DEED  OF  TRUST;  AND  THE
 TERM "FREE" AS APPLIED TO A LIBRARY SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO MEAN A LIBRARY
 MAINTAINED FOR THE BENEFIT AND FREE USE ON EQUAL TERMS OF ALL THE PEOPLE
 OF THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE LIBRARY IS LOCATED.
   (2) "PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM" SHALL MEAN:
   (I) A LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY ONE OR MORE COUNTIES.
   (II)  A GROUP OF LIBRARIES SERVING AN AREA INCLUDING ONE OR MORE COUN-
 TIES IN WHOLE OR IN PART.
   (III) A LIBRARY OF A CITY CONTAINING ONE OR MORE COUNTIES.
   (IV) A COOPERATIVE LIBRARY SYSTEM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION  TWO
 HUNDRED  FIFTY-FIVE  OF THIS PART, THE PLAN OF LIBRARY SERVICE OF ANY OF
 WHICH SHALL HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   C. THE STUDY REQUIRED BY THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE COMPLETED  BY  JULY
 FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  EIGHTEEN.    THE  FINDINGS OF SUCH STUDY SHALL BE
 PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THE  TEMPORARY
 PRESIDENT  OF THE SENATE, THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY LIBRARIES AND EDUCA-
 TION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE SELECT  COMMITTEE
 ON  LIBRARIES.    THE FINDINGS OF SUCH STUDY SHALL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE
 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE.
   § 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 of such section and shall
 expire and be deemed repealed January 31, 2019.

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