NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6870

Senate Bill S6870

2025-2026 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 08, 2025	1st report cal.652
Mar 25, 2025	referred to libraries

2025-S6870 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5525
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §273-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S7161, A7630
2019-2020: S5374, A792
2021-2022: S3706, A92
2023-2024: S1418, A7965

2025-S6870 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2025-S6870 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6870

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
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

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

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
complete a study on the capital needs of libraries and library systems
in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC 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.

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 Standing 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 system.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: S1418 Comrie/ A7965 Simon

2022: S3706a

2017-2018: A.7630 Passed Assembly

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2025-S6870 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6870
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries
 
 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

   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 9 to read as follows:
   9. 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.
                                                            LBD05012-01-5
 S. 6870                             2

 
   (5) IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIAL NEEDS, BARRIERS TO  ACCESSING  FINANCING
 AND OPTIONS FOR FINANCING FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES; 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-SEVEN 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  JANU-
 ARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN.  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  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.

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