73R6366 T
By Alexander H.B. No. 1589
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the amendment of the Texas Library System to include
1-3 all publicly funded libraries.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 441.122(13), The Texas Library Systems
1-6 Act (Sec. 441.122(13) of the Government Code), is amended to read
1-7 as follows:
1-8 (13) "Regional library system" means a network of library
1-9 systems established under this subchapter. Notwithstanding other
1-10 provision of this subchapter, libraries operated by public school
1-11 districts, publicly supported institutions of higher education and
1-12 units of state or local government may become members of a regional
1-13 library system to make the library resources freely accessible to
1-14 all residents of the system.
1-15 SECTION 2. Section 441.126, The Library Systems Act (Section
1-16 441.126) of the Government Code), is amended to read as follows:
1-17 Section 441.126:
1-18 The commission may establish and develop major resource
1-19 systems or regional library systems in conformity with the plan for
1-20 a state library system as provided by this subchapter.
1-21 SECTION 3. Section 441.127(a) of The Library Systems Act
1-22 (Section 441.127(a)) of the Government Code), is amended to read as
1-23 follows:
1-24 (a) To be eligible for membership in a major resource system
2-1 or regional library system a library must be accredited by the
2-2 commission as having met the accreditation standards established by
2-3 the commission.
2-4 SECTION 4. Section 441.131(b) of The Library Systems Act
2-5 (Section 441.131)(b) of the Government Code), is amended to read as
2-6 follows:
2-7 (b) Governing bodies of libraries within a regional library
2-8 system may establish a nonprofit corporation under the Texas
2-9 Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's
2-10 Texas Civil Statutes) to administer the system or may contract with
2-11 a private business to administer the system. If the governing
2-12 bodies form a nonprofit corporation, they may select a board of
2-13 directors and adopt bylaws for the corporation. Bylaws adopted or
2-14 a contract executed under this section may permit <provide for
2-15 funding and participation by> other libraries operated by public
2-16 school districts, publicly supported institutions of higher
2-17 education and units of state or local government to become members
2-18 of the regional library system. Bylaws may provide for
2-19 reorganization, merger, division, and dissolution.
2-20 SECTION 5. Section 441.135(b) of The Library Systems Act
2-21 (Section 441.135(b) of the Government Code), is amended to read as
2-22 follows:
2-23 (b) The program of state grants shall include one or more of
2-24 the following:
2-25 (1) system operation grants, to strengthen major resource
2-26 system services to member public libraries and regional library
2-27 system services to member libraries, including grants to reimburse
3-1 other libraries for providing specialized services to major
3-2 resource systems and regional library systems;
3-3 (2) incentive grants, to encourage public libraries to join
3-4 together into larger units of service in order to meet criteria for
3-5 major resource system membership or regional library system
3-6 membership
3-7 (3) establishment grants, to help establish public libraries
3-8 that will qualify for major resource system membership or regional
3-9 library system membership in communities without public library
3-10 service; and
3-11 (4) equalization grants to help public libraries in
3-12 communities with relatively limited taxable resources to meet
3-13 criteria for major resource system membership or regional library
3-14 system membership.
3-15 SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
3-16 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
3-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
3-21 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
3-22 Amend House Bill 1589 by striking the words "publicly supported" on
3-23 page 1, line 11 and on page 2, line 16.
3-24 Hunter of Taylor
3-25 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 2
3-26 Amend House Bill 1589 by adding the following to the caption on
3-27 line 3, page 1: "and libraries of institutions of higher
4-1 education."
4-2 Hunter of Taylor