SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE BILL NO. 790

90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CASKEY.

Read 1st time January 10, 2000, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.



TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

3595S.01I


AN ACT

To repeal sections 181.043, 181.060 and 181.110, RSMo 1994, and section 181.021, RSMo Supp. 1999, relating to the state library, and to enact in lieu thereof four new sections relating to the same subject.


Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

Section A.  Sections 181.043, 181.060 and 181.110, RSMo 1994, and section 181.021, RSMo Supp. 1999, are repealed and four new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 181.021, 181.043, 181.060 and 181.110, to read as follows:

181.021.  The Missouri state library shall be under the control of the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education and operated under rules and regulations promulgated by the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education.  The [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education shall:

(1)  Direct the survey of services given by libraries which may be established or assisted under any law for state grants-in-aid to libraries;

(2)  Further the coordination of library services furnished by the state with those of local libraries and other educational agencies;

(3)  Publish an annual report showing conditions and progress of public library service in Missouri;

(4)  Furnish information and counsel as to the best means of establishing and maintaining libraries, the selection of materials, cataloging, and other details of library management; provide assistance in organizing libraries or improving service given by them and assist library services in state institutions;

(5)  Receive and administer grants from the United States under any act of Congress for public libraries, or other types of library service, and make rules and regulations in connection with such grants as may be necessary or required in the administration thereof;

(6)  Receive gifts of money, books or other property which may be used or held in trust for the purposes given;

(7)  Administer state grants-in-aid and encourage local support for the betterment of local library service and generally promote an effective statewide public library system;

(8)  Procure and disseminate information by any means necessary within the state among individuals, communities, libraries, schools, charitable and state institutions, state departments and other organizations;

(9)  Administer the Wolfner Library for the blind and physically handicapped and ensure library services to the eligible blind and physically handicapped residents of this state.  

181.043.  The [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education shall appoint a state librarian who shall administer the affairs of the Missouri state library under the rules and regulations of the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education and who shall serve at the pleasure of the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education.  The state librarian shall be a graduate of an accredited college or university, and be graduated from an accredited library school, and shall have library experience.  The state librarian shall appoint the personnel in connection with the various activities of the state library, subject to the approval of the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education.  The provisions for appeals provided in section 36.390, RSMo, for dismissals of regular merit employees shall apply to the employees of the state library, provided that all staffs presently employed must be transferred as regular state employees.

181.060.  1.  The general assembly may appropriate moneys for state aid to public libraries, which moneys shall be administered by the state librarian, and distributed as specified in rules and regulations promulgated by the Missouri state library, and approved by the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education.

2.  At least fifty percent of the moneys appropriated for state aid to public libraries shall be apportioned to all public libraries established and maintained under the provisions of the library laws or other laws of the state relating to libraries.  The allocation of the moneys shall be based on an equal per capita rate for the population of each city, village, town, township, urban public library district, county or consolidated library district in which any library is or may be established, in proportion to the population according to the latest federal census of the cities, villages, towns, townships, school districts, county or regional library districts maintaining public libraries primarily supported by public funds which are designed to serve the general public.  No grant shall be made to any public library which is tax supported if the rate of tax levied or the appropriation for the library should be decreased below the rate in force on December 31, 1946, or on the date of its establishment.  Grants shall be made to any public library if a public library tax of at least ten cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation has been voted in accordance with sections 182.010 to 182.460, RSMo, or as authorized in section 137.030, RSMo, and is duly assessed and levied for the year preceding that in which the grant is made, or if the appropriation for the public library in any city of first class yields one dollar or more per capita for the previous year according to the population of the latest federal census or if the amount provided by the city for the public library, in any other city in which the library is not supported by a library tax, is at least equal to the amount of revenue which would be realized by a tax of ten cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation if the library had been tax supported.  Except that, no grant under this section shall be affected because of a reduction in the rate of levy which is required by the provisions of section 137.073, RSMo.

3.  The librarian of the library together with the treasurer of the library or the treasurer of the city if there is no library treasurer shall certify to the state librarian the annual tax income and rate of tax or the appropriation for the library on the date of the enactment of this law, and of the current year, and each year thereafter, and the state librarian shall certify to the commission of administration the amount to be paid to each library.

4.  The balance of the moneys shall be administered and supervised by the state librarian who may provide grants to public libraries for:

(1)  Establishment, on a population basis to newly established city, county city/county or consolidated libraries;

(2)  Equalization to city/county. urban public, county or consolidated libraries;

(3)  Reciprocal borrowing;

(4)  Technological development;

(5)  Interlibrary cooperation;

(6)  Literacy programs; and

(7)  Other library projects or programs that may be determined by the local library, library advisory committee and the state library staff that would improve access to library services by the residents of this state.  Newly established libraries shall certify through the legally established board or the governing body of the city supporting the library and the librarian of the library to the state librarian the fact of establishment, the rate of tax, the assessed valuation of the library district and the annual tax yield of the library.  The state librarian shall then certify to the commissioner of administration the amount of establishment grant to be paid to the libraries and warrants shall be issued for the amount allocated and approved.  The sum appropriated for state aid to public libraries shall be separate and apart from any and all appropriations made to the state library.

181.110.  The state library shall, under the direction of the [secretary of state] coordinating board for higher education, publish monthly an official indexed list of all printed publications of all state offices, departments, divisions, boards and commissions, whether legislative, executive or judicial, and any subdivisions of each, including state-supported institutions of higher education.  Such list shall state the cost of each publication contained therein.  The library shall also distribute such numbers of copies of such publications as it deems necessary to certain libraries, also designated by it, which shall serve as depositories for making available to the public such publications.  No publications shall be distributed to any library unless a request is made therefor.




Return to Main Bill Page

Return to Senate Home Page