Assembly Bill A2746

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2746

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 21, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. PAULIN, CLARK, KOON, EDDINGTON, GALEF, MAGNAREL-
  LI, ROSENTHAL, SCHROEDER -- Multi-Sponsored by --  M.  of  A.  GREENE,
  NOLAN,  PHEFFER, SWEENEY -- read once and referred to the Committee on
  Libraries and Education Technology

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring training for
  library trustees and providing state aid for library trustee training

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 273-b
to read as follows:
  S 273-B. STATE AID FOR LIBRARY  TRUSTEE  TRAINING  PROGRAM.  1.  EVERY
VOTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF A FREE ASSOCIATION, PUBLIC, OR
INDIAN LIBRARY, A PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT, A PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, OR A
REFERENCE  AND  RESEARCH  LIBRARY RESOURCES SYSTEM, ELECTED OR APPOINTED
FOR A FIRST TERM ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION,  SHALL,
WITHIN  THE  FIRST  YEAR OF HIS OR HER FIRST TERM, COMPLETE A MINIMUM OF
SIX HOURS OF APPROVED TRAINING ON THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  OF  A
LIBRARY  BOARD MEMBER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR
FISCAL AND BUDGETARY OVERSIGHT, POLICYMAKING,  AND  ACCOUNTABILITY.  ANY
SUCH  LIBRARY  TRUSTEE  WHO  FAILS TO COMPLETE SUCH TRAINING REQUIRED BY
THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL VACATE HIS OR HER OFFICE AS TRUSTEE ON THE  FIRST
DAY OF THE SECOND YEAR OF HIS OR HER TERM.
  2. THE COMMISSIONER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO ANNUALLY EXPEND UP TO FIVE
HUNDRED  THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, DEVELOPMENT AND DELIV-
ERY OF LIBRARY TRUSTEE TRAINING PROGRAMS COORDINATED  BY  THE  NEW  YORK
STATE  LIBRARY AND CONDUCTED BY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS AND REFERENCE AND
RESEARCH LIBRARY RESOURCES SYSTEMS, AND OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS  OR  INSTI-
TUTIONS AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
  A.  FOR  PURPOSES  OF IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, THE
NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ANNUALLY RECEIVE THE SUM  OF
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, IMPLEMENTATION

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04140-01-9
              

A. 2746                             2

AND  ADMINISTRATION  OF  A STATEWIDE PROGRAM, TO BE KNOWN AS THE LIBRARY
TRUSTEE TRAINING PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO  EDUCATE  AND  TRAIN  TRUSTEES  OF
LIBRARIES  AND LIBRARY SYSTEMS ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUCH OFFICE AS
SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
  B. FOR PURPOSES OF THE  PROGRAM, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL AWARD AN ANNU-
AL FORMULA GRANT OF THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EACH PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
OR  REFERENCE  AND  RESEARCH LIBRARY RESOURCES SYSTEM OPERATING UNDER AN
APPROVED PLAN OF SERVICE. SUCH GRANTS SHALL BE  AWARDED  ON  A  CALENDAR
YEAR  BASIS. REMAINING AID SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
SYSTEMS ACCORDING TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SYSTEM AND MEMBER LIBRARY TRUS-
TEES IN EACH SYSTEM ON FILE WITH THE COMMISSIONER AS  OF  THE  FIRST  OF
JANUARY  OF  THE  YEAR  PRECEDING THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR WHICH THE AID IS
PAYABLE.
  C. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AN ADVISORY  COMMITTEE  TO  ASSIST
WITH  THE  DEVELOPMENT  AND  OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM. MEMBERSHIP OF THE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF, BUT NEED NOT BE LIMITED TO,  REPRE-
SENTATIVES  FROM  THE STATEWIDE LIBRARY TRUSTEE ASSOCIATION CHARTERED BY
REGENTS, PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS,  AND  REFERENCE  AND  RESEARCH  LIBRARY
RESOURCES SYSTEMS. THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SHALL  CONSIST  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  FROM  THE STATEWIDE LIBRARY TRUSTEE
ASSOCIATION CHARTERED BY THE REGENTS. SUCH COMMITTEE  SHALL  ADVISE  THE
COMMISSIONER  ON  ISSUES CONCERNING PROGRAM POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.
  D. THE COMMISSIONER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE ANY RULE AND/OR
REGULATION NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
SECTION;  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ONLY AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE ADVI-
SORY COMMITTEE, SHALL THE COMMISSIONER PROMULGATE ANY RULE AND/OR  REGU-
LATION RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROGRAM.
  S  2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.