1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to capital investment; renaming the library construction grant program;
1.3 appropriating money for library construction grants; authorizing the sale and
1.4 issuance of state bonds; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.45.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.45, is amended to read:
1.7 134.45 MARY C. MURPHY LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS PROGRAM.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Application; definition.Public library jurisdictions may apply to the
1.9commissioner of education for grants for improvements and accessibility to their library
1.10facilities. For the purposes of this section, "public library jurisdictions" means regional
1.11public library systems, regional library districts, cities, and counties operating libraries under
1.12chapter 134.
1.13 Subd. 2.Approval by commissioner.The commissioner of education, in consultation
1.14with the state Council on Disability, may approve or disapprove applications under this
1.15section. The grant money must be used to remove architectural barriers from a building or
1.16site, to renovate or expand an existing building for use as a library, or to construct a new
1.17library building.
1.18 Subd. 3.Application forms.The commissioner of education shall prepare application
1.19forms and establish application dates.
1.20 Subd. 4.Match.A public library jurisdiction applying for a grant under this section
1.21must match the grant with local funds.
1Section 1.
REVISOR JSK/DG 25-0475203/06/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2484
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Lee, F.,03/17/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Capital Investment 2.1 Subd. 5.Qualification; accessibility grants.A public library jurisdiction may apply
2.2for a grant in an amount up to $450,000 or 50 percent of the approved costs of removing
2.3architectural barriers from a building or site, whichever is less. Grants may be made only
2.4for projects in existing buildings used as a library, or to prepare another existing building
2.5for use as a library. Renovation of an existing building may include an addition to the
2.6building if the additional space is necessary to provide accessibility or if relocating public
2.7spaces to the ground level provides improved overall accessibility. Grants must not be used
2.8to pay part of the cost of meeting accessibility requirements in a new building.
2.9 Subd. 5a.Prohibition on pornographic use of internet.A public library jurisdiction
2.10is not eligible for a grant under this section unless it has adopted a policy to prohibit library
2.11users from using the library's Internet access to view, print, or distribute material that is
2.12obscene within the meaning of section 617.241.
2.13 Subd. 5b.Qualification; improvement grants.A public library jurisdiction may apply
2.14for a grant in an amount up to $1,000,000 or 50 percent, whichever is less, of the approved
2.15costs of renovating or expanding an existing library building, or to construct a new library
2.16building. Renovation may include remediation of conditions hazardous to health or safety.
2.17 Subd. 6.Award of grants.The commissioner, in consultation with the state Council on
2.18Disability, shall examine and consider all applications for grants. If a public library
2.19jurisdiction is found not qualified, the commissioner shall promptly notify it. The
2.20commissioner shall prioritize grants on the following bases: the degree of collaboration
2.21with other public or private agencies, the public library jurisdiction's tax burden, the long-term
2.22feasibility of the project, the suitability of the project, and the need for the project. If the
2.23total amount of the applications exceeds the amount that is or can be made available, the
2.24commissioner shall award grants according to the commissioner's judgment and discretion
2.25and based upon a ranking of the projects according to the factors listed in this subdivision.
2.26The commissioner shall promptly certify to each public library jurisdiction the amount, if
2.27any, of the grant awarded to it.
2.28 Subd. 7.Project budget.A public library jurisdiction that receives a grant must provide
2.29the commissioner with the project budget and any other information the commissioner
2.30requests.
2.31 Subd. 8.Sale of public library funded with state bond proceeds.If the commissioner
2.32of education and the local or regional governmental entity that owns a public library that
2.33has been improved with state bond proceeds under this section determines that the library
2.34is no longer usable or needed for the purposes for which the grant of state bond funds was
2Section 1.
REVISOR JSK/DG 25-0475203/06/25 3.1made, the owner of the public library may sell the property in the manner authorized by law
3.2for the sale of other property owned by that jurisdiction for its fair market value. The sale
3.3must be approved by the commissioner of management and budget. Notwithstanding section
3.416A.695, subdivision 3, clause (2), the net proceeds must be applied as follows: first, to
3.5pay the state the amount of state bond proceeds used to acquire or better the property; and
3.6second, any remaining amount must be paid to the local or regional governmental owner
3.7of the property sold. When the sale is complete and the sale proceeds have been applied as
3.8provided in this subdivision, section 16A.695 no longer applies to the property and the
3.9property is no longer state bond financed property.
3.10 Subd. 9.Citation.This section shall be known as the "Mary C. Murphy Library
3.11Construction Grants Program."
3.12 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
3.13 Sec. 2. LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS.
3.14 Subdivision 1.Appropriation.$1,000,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund
3.15to the commissioner of education for the Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grants
3.16Program under Minnesota Statutes, section 134.45.
3.17 Subd. 2.Bond sale.To provide the money appropriated in this section from the bond
3.18proceeds fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of
3.19the state in an amount up to $1,000,000 in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect
3.20prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota
3.21Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.
3.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
3Sec. 2.
REVISOR JSK/DG 25-0475203/06/25