New York Senate Bill S09647 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9647  IN SENATE May 16, 2024 ___________ Introduced by Sen. CHU -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education AN ACT in relation to conducting a study to evaluate the services provided by public libraries, how the demand for services vary across library systems, and to evaluate if current funding standards equit- ably meet community needs across the state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. 1. There shall be a study conducted by the education 2 department to evaluate the services provided by public library systems 3 across the state. 4 2. Such department, in consultation with the public library systems of 5 the state, shall assess and report on the services provided in public 6 libraries and the variation in demand of services within library 7 systems, and to determine if the current funding standards defined in 8 section 254 of the education law adequately and equitably enable 9 libraries to meet community needs across the state. Such study shall 10 assess the types and frequency of services provided at public libraries, 11 including but not limited to: digital technology, workforce readiness 12 and career services, life skills and adult educational programs, chil- 13 dren and adolescent programs, and community events. Additionally, the 14 study shall assess the quality and capability of available library 15 resources, including both printed and digital materials, computers and 16 other technological tools, equipment and/or machinery. 17 3. For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the 18 following meanings: 19 (a) "public library" shall mean any public or association library, 20 other than a professional, technical or public school library, estab- 21 lished for free public purposes by official action of a municipality or 22 district or the legislature, where the whole interests belong to the 23 public; 24 (b) "public library system" shall mean: 25 (i) A library established by one or more counties; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD15529-01-4 
 S. 9647 2 1 (ii) A group of libraries serving an area including one or more coun- 2 ties in whole or in part; 3 (iii) A library of a city containing one or more counties; and 4 (iv) A cooperative library system established pursuant to section 255 5 of the education law, the plan of library service of any of which shall 6 have been approved by the commissioner of education. 7 4. The study required by this act shall be completed by January 1, 8 2026. The findings of such study shall be provided to the governor, the 9 speaker of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate, the 10 chair of the assembly libraries and education technology committee, and 11 the chair of the senate committee on libraries. The findings of such 12 study shall also be posted on the New York state library's website. 13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 14 deemed repealed January 1, 2026.