SSHB974 474 5238
HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS
HB 974 2024 Regular Session Carlson
LIBRARIES: Provides relative to qualifications for library directors and relative to library
boards of control
Synopsis of Senate Amendments
1.Add provisions for removal of members of library boards of control.
Digest of Bill as Finally Passed by Senate
Present law authorizes library boards of control to establish rules and regulations, not
inconsistent with law, for its own government and that of the library. Authorizes boards to
elect and employ a librarian and assistant librarians and to fix salaries and compensation of
librarian and assistant librarians.
Present law prohibits library boards of control from hiring a head librarian who has not been
certified by the State Bd. of Library Examiners.
Proposed law retains present law and authorizes library boards of control to hire a library
director and establish the qualifications for the position. Authorizes the boards to require a
certificate or permit from the State Bd. of Library Examiners as a qualification for the
position of library director.
Proposed law authorizes library boards of control to provide that the library director shall
serve as the head librarian. Provides that a head librarian who also serves as the library
director is exempt from requirement for certification by the State Bd. of Library Examiners.
Present law authorizes parish and municipal governing authorities to create, by ordinance,
public libraries. Requires parish governing authorities to appoint not less than five nor more
than seven citizens of the parish as a board of control and municipal governing authorities
to appoint five citizens as a board of control. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that board of control members serve five-year terms.
Present law (R.S. 33:1415) provides that the governing authority of any parish or
municipality that has power to appoint members to boards or commissions also has the
power to remove and replace the members or commissioners. Proposed law retains present
law and makes it specifically applicable to library boards of control.
Present law provides that if there is a conflict between the provisions of present law (R.S.
33:1415) authorizing parish and municipal governing authorities to abolish entities they have
created and the provisions of present law (R.S. 25:211 et seq.) that authorize parish and
municipal governing authorities to create public libraries and appoint library boards of
control, the provisions authorizing the creation of libraries shall prevail. Proposed law
repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 25:215(A); Adds R.S. 25:214(D); Repeals R.S. 33:1415(C))
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