UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1354
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AN ACT relating to county law libraries. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 172.100 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) A county law library shall be established in each county seat and the fiscal court of 4
each county shall designate sufficient room in the courthouse, in a building of good 5
construction adjacent to the courthouse, in the local public library, or in a building 6
where sessions of the District or Circuit Court are regularly held, or a combination 7
of the foregoing, where such library shall be located and where the books and 8
materials of the library may be safely kept. 9
(2) The books of the county law library shall consist of all volumes belonging to the 10
state heretofore sent to the various county officials directed by law to receive such 11
books, and all volumes hereafter sent to such library by the state, and all books now 12
owned or hereafter acquired by the county for the library. The counties may provide 13
on-line legal resources, including access and subscriptions to computer-assisted 14
legal research facilities and the related infrastructure required to access the 15
internet, and may acquire books, maps, computers and related equipment, or other 16
articles for the library by purchase, gift, or devise. 17
Section 2. KRS 172.200 is amended to read as follows: 18
(1) Upon the adoption of this optional plan, in counties other than those containing a 19
city of the first class or consolidated local government, the Circuit Judge shall 20
appoint one (1) member of the county's bar, and the members of the county's bar 21
shall, by majority vote, elect another of their number, which two (2) attorneys shall, 22
with the county attorney of the county, constitute and be designated as "Trustees, .... 23
County Law Library." In counties containing a city of the first class or consolidated 24
local government, the Chief Circuit Judge shall appoint one (1) member of the 25
county's bar; the members of the county's bar shall, by majority vote, elect another 26
of their number; the fiscal court or consolidated local government pursuant to the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1354
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provisions of KRS 67C.139 shall appoint one (1) member, and one (1) member 1
shall be appointed by the Commonwealth's attorney, which four (4) attorneys shall, 2
with the county attorney of the county, constitute and be designated as "Trustees, 3
........ County Law Library" or in a county containing a consolidated local 4
government, "Trustees, ......../..........County Law Library," which shall be a 5
combination of the names of the largest city in existence on the date of the approval 6
of the consolidated local government and the county. 7
(2) The trustees shall serve for a term of two (2) years or until their successors are 8
elected or qualified. 9
(3) The trustees shall be in charge of the county law library, and they shall make 10
purchases of the various state and federal case reports, textbooks, legal 11
encyclopedia, computers and related equipment, including access and 12
subscriptions to computer-assisted legal research facilities and the related 13
infrastructure required to access the internet, and all other books or equipment 14
usually incident to or customarily found in law libraries, or necessary to the 15
protection of the rights of litigants, and they shall cause same to be properly 16
arranged in the county law library or Court of Justice facilities, directing the ex 17
officio librarian in the exercise of his or her duties. The trustees may also provide 18
on-line legal resources for the use of library patrons. 19
(4) The trustees shall exercise their absolute discretion in the purchase of books, 20
pamphlets, periodicals, and other materials and equipment, and in the appointment 21
and compensation of personnel to assist the ex officio librarian in the handling of 22
materials and in the maintenance of the library, but the trustees shall not contract 23
for any such purchases and appointments so as to create an indebtedness greater 24
than the anticipated revenue for the following eighteen (18) months, the anticipated 25
revenue being based upon the preceding eighteen (18) months' revenue, and any 26
indebtedness of the county law library fund shall not be considered in any way an 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1354
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indebtedness of the county, but shall be an indebtedness of the county law library 1
fund only, and all creditors must look only to the county law library fund for 2
satisfaction of their indebtedness. 3
(5) The trustees shall designate one (1) of their number as treasurer and he or she shall: 4
(a) Be accountable for the receipt, deposit, and disbursement of all sums received 5
for the operation of the county law library;[. He shall] 6
(b) Be bonded by a corporate bond, the cost of which shall be paid out of the 7
receipts of the library fund;[. He shall] 8
(c) Deposit all sums received by him or her as treasurer in a regular banking 9
depository, and he or she shall pay for all purchases made by the trustees by 10
check or draft, keeping a true and accurate account of all sums received and 11
expended;[ by him. He shall] 12
(d) Annually file a written report with the Circuit Judge of the county showing all 13
sums received[ by him], together with the court from which they were 14
received, and an itemized statement of all expenditures made; and[ by him. 15
The treasurer shall] 16
(e) Turn all funds over to his or her successor, together with a full inventory of 17
the county law library, and together with a full and complete itemized 18
statement of all outstanding accounts. 19