29march00.....3856h

2000 SESSION

00-2501

08/09

HOUSE BILL 1203-LOCAL

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill provides that no rule adopted by the commissioner of cultural resources shall require a public library that is a member of the statewide library development system to increase its total appropriations in order to receive state library services. This bill also provides that no rule adopted by the commissioner shall establish qualifications for serve as a library trustee.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

29march00.....3856h

00-2501

08/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Statement of Purpose. The general court finds that since public libraries are operated to serve all of the residents in the communities in which they are located and the funds for the maintenance and operation of these libraries come largely from real estate taxes, the commissioner of cultural resources shall not dictate expenditure levels by rule. The general court further determines that the commissioner shall not adopt rules that designate qualifications for member library trustees elected by the voters pursuant to RSA 202-A.

2 Statewide Library Development System; State Library Services. Amend RSA 201-D:10 to read as follows:

201-D:10 Rulemaking.

I. The commissioner shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A and after public hearing, and subject to ratification by the state library council, relative to:

[I.](a) Standards for the associate, certified and accredited categories, and for any subcategory, concerning any or all of the following:

[(a)](1) Level of service;

[(b)](2) Evaluation and planning;

[(c)](3) Cooperation with other libraries;

[(d)](4) Participation in the library forum and statewide programs;

[(e)](5) Personnel qualifications;

[(f)](6) Organization of materials; and

[(g)](7) Physical facilities.

[II.](b) Allocation of state aid and other funds to individual libraries, cooperatives and other groups, and library areas. For state aid, this shall include setting the allocation rate for each membership category and the local library expenditures to be counted in applying the rate.

[III.](c) Requirements that member libraries adopt written policies concerning any or all of the following:

[(a)](1) General objectives;

[(b)](2) Organization of materials;

[(c)](3) Materials selection and collection development;

[(d)](4) Personnel;

[(e)](5) Public relations; and

[(f)](6) Cooperation with public school libraries.

[IV.](d) Reporting requirements for funded programs and services.

[V.](e) Number and boundaries of library areas.

[VI.](f) Democratic procedures for library forums.

II. No rule adopted by the commissioner shall require a member public library to increase its total appropriations for maintenance, employee salaries and benefits, and materials acquisitions in order to receive state library services.

III. No rule adopted by the commissioner shall establish qualifications for service as a library trustee.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.