H.B. No. 1589
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the amendment of the Texas Library System to include
    1-3  all publicly funded libraries and libraries of institutions of
    1-4  higher education.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 441.122(13), Government Code, is amended
    1-7  to read as follows:
    1-8              (13)  "Regional library system" means a network of
    1-9  library systems established under this subchapter.  Notwithstanding
   1-10  other provisions of this subchapter, libraries operated by public
   1-11  school districts, institutions of higher education, and units of
   1-12  state or local government may become members of a regional library
   1-13  system to make the library resources freely accessible to all
   1-14  residents of the system.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  Section 441.126, Government Code, is amended to
   1-16  read as follows:
   1-17        Sec. 441.126.  AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH MAJOR RESOURCE SYSTEMS.
   1-18  The commission may establish and develop major resource systems or
   1-19  regional library systems in conformity with the plan for a state
   1-20  library system as provided by this subchapter.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  Section 441.127(a), Government Code, is amended
   1-22  to read as follows:
   1-23        (a)  To be eligible for membership in a major resource system
   1-24  or regional library system a library must be accredited by the
    2-1  commission as having met the accreditation standards established by
    2-2  the commission.
    2-3        SECTION 4.  Section 441.131(b), Government Code, is amended
    2-4  to read as follows:
    2-5        (b)  Governing bodies of libraries within a regional library
    2-6  system may establish a nonprofit corporation under the Texas
    2-7  Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's
    2-8  Texas Civil Statutes) to administer the system or may contract with
    2-9  a private business to administer the system.  If the governing
   2-10  bodies form a nonprofit corporation, they may select a board of
   2-11  directors and adopt bylaws for the corporation.  Bylaws adopted or
   2-12  a contract executed under this section may permit <provide for
   2-13  funding and participation by> other libraries operated by public
   2-14  school districts, institutions of higher education, and units of
   2-15  state or local government to become members of the regional library
   2-16  system.  Bylaws may provide for reorganization, merger, division,
   2-17  and dissolution.
   2-18        SECTION 5.  Section 441.135(b), Government Code, is amended
   2-19  to read as follows:
   2-20        (b)  The program of state grants shall include one or more of
   2-21  the following:
   2-22              (1)  system operation grants, to strengthen major
   2-23  resource system services to member public libraries and regional
   2-24  library system services to member libraries, including grants to
   2-25  reimburse other libraries for providing specialized services to
   2-26  major resource systems and regional library systems;
   2-27              (2)  incentive grants, to encourage public libraries to
    3-1  join together into larger units of service in order to meet
    3-2  criteria for major resource system membership or regional library
    3-3  system membership;
    3-4              (3)  establishment grants, to help establish public
    3-5  libraries that will qualify for major resource system membership or
    3-6  regional library system membership in communities without public
    3-7  library service; and
    3-8              (4)  equalization grants, to help public libraries in
    3-9  communities with relatively limited taxable resources to meet
   3-10  criteria for major resource system membership or regional library
   3-11  system membership.
   3-12        SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   3-13        SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-14  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-15  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-16  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-17  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.