EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*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
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2023
CHAPTER ______
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
2 SENATE BILL 300
(1) that is tax exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and 1
(2) whose mission is to [mail] DISTRIBUTE to children free, high–quality 2
books designed to aid the development of reading skills. 3
8–1402. 4
(a) In this section, “Program” means the [Baltimore City] STATEWIDE Young 5
Readers Program. 6
(b) There is a [Baltimore City] STATEWIDE Young Readers Program in the 7
[Division] MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY AGENCY. 8
(c) The purpose of the Program is to work with an early reader organization to 9
[mail] DISTRIBUTE free, high–quality books to children in [Baltimore City] MARYLAND. 10
(d) The [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN shall: 11
(1) administer the Program; and 12
(2) carry out the Program in partnership with an early reader organization 13
partner. 14
(e) For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an 15
appropriation of $200,000 to the Program. 16
8–1403. 17
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 18
(2) “Affiliated service” means a book–gifting service performed by a 19
nonprofit organization that is tax exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 20
or a unit of State, county, or municipal government that forms an affiliated partnership 21
with an early reader organization. 22
(3) “Program” means the Young Readers Matching Grant Program. 23
(b) There is a Young Readers Matching Grant Program in the [Division] 24
MARYLAND STATE LIBRARY AGENCY. 25
(c) The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND 26
affiliated services to: 27
(1) support the establishment and operation of affiliated services; and 28
SENATE BILL 300 3
(2) contribute an amount equal to the amount of funding provided for the 1
operation of an affiliated service. 2
(d) The [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN shall administer the Program. 3
(e) (1) [An] A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR AN affiliated service may submit an 4
application for a program grant on the form that the [Deputy Director] STATE LIBRARIAN 5
requires. 6
(2) An application for a program grant shall include a plan to ensure that 7
the PUBLIC LIBRARY OR TH E affiliated service is able to gift books to eligible children, 8
[including] PRIORITIZING children in low–income zip codes within its area of service. 9
(3) A program grant shall be disbursed to A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR an 10
affiliated service that qualifies for the Program. 11
(F) THE STATE LIBRARY BOARD SHALL: 12
(1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2024, AND EVERY OTHER YEAR 13
THEREAFTER , REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE EFFEC TIVENESS OF 14
THE PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 15
ARTICLE; AND 16
(2) COLLECT STATISTICS A ND OTHER INFO RMATION NECESSARY FO R 17
THIS PURPOSE. 18
[(f)] (G) For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual budget 19
bill an appropriation of [$250,000] $500,000 to the Program. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2023. 22
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.