EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0300*
SENATE BILL 300
P3, F5 3lr1370
CF HB 243
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2023
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City Young Readers Program – Expansion and Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering the Baltimore City Young Readers Program to be the Statewide 3
Young Readers Program; establishing the Program within the Maryland State 4
Library Agency; altering the purpose of the Program; requiring the State Librarian 5
to administer the Program; authorizing public libraries to apply for program grants; 6
requiring program grant applicants to prioritize the distribution of books to children 7
in low–income zip codes within the applicants’ area of service; and generally relating 8
to the Baltimore City Young Readers Program. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Human Services 11
Section 8–1401 through 8–1403 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Human Services 17
8–1401. 18
In this subtitle, “early reader organization” means a nonprofit organization: 19
(1) that is tax exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and 20
(2) whose mission is to [mail] DISTRIBUTE to children free, high–quality 21
books designed to aid the development of reading skills. 22
2 SENATE BILL 300
8–1402. 1
(a) In this section, “Program” means the [Baltimore City] STATEWIDE Young 2
Readers Program. 3
(b) There is a [Baltimore City] STATEWIDE Young Readers Program in the 4
[Division] MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY AGENCY. 5
(c) The purpose of the Program is to work with an early reader organization to 6
[mail] DISTRIBUTE free, high–quality books to children in [Baltimore City] MARYLAND. 7
(d) The [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN shall: 8
(1) administer the Program; and 9
(2) carry out the Program in partnership with an early reader organization 10
partner. 11
(e) For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an 12
appropriation of $200,000 to the Program. 13
8–1403. 14
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 15
(2) “Affiliated service” means a book–gifting service performed by a 16
nonprofit organization that is tax exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 17
or a unit of State, county, or municipal government that forms an affiliated partnership 18
with an early reader organization. 19
(3) “Program” means the Young Readers Matching Grant Program. 20
(b) There is a Young Readers Matching Grant Program in the [Division] 21
MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY AGENCY. 22
(c) The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND 23
affiliated services to: 24
(1) support the establishment and operation of affiliated services; and 25
(2) contribute an amount equal to the amount of funding provided for the 26
operation of an affiliated service. 27
(d) The [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN shall administer the Program. 28
SENATE BILL 300 3
(e) (1) [An] A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR AN affiliated service may submit an 1
application for a program grant on the form that the [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN 2
requires. 3
(2) An application for a program grant shall include a plan to ensure that 4
the PUBLIC LIBRARY OR TH E affiliated service is able to gift books to eligible children, 5
[including] PRIORITIZING children in low–income zip codes within its area of service. 6
(3) A program grant shall be disbursed to A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR an 7
affiliated service that qualifies for the Program. 8
(F) THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD SHALL: 9
(1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2024, AND EVERY OTHER YEAR 10
THEREAFTER , REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE E FFECTIVENESS OF 11
THE PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 12
ARTICLE; AND 13
(2) COLLECT STATISTICS A ND OTHER INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR 14
THIS PURPOSE. 15
[(f)] (G) For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual budget 16
bill an appropriation of [$250,000] $500,000 to the Program. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
October 1, 2023. 19