BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 483

                                                                                                                                          By: Staples

                                                                                                                  Government Organization

                                                                                                                                              6/9/2005

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law does not allow for public school libraries to participate in the TexShare Library Consortium, which provides access to quality research databases at a lower cost than purchasing individual access.

 

S.B. 483 allows public schools to join the TexShare Library Consortium.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in SECTION 3 (Section 441.229, Government Code) of this bill.

  

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 441.223, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 441.223.  FINDINGS; PURPOSE AND METHODS.  Provides that designated public school libraries are included among those libraries that the legislature finds that it is necessary to assist to promote the public good by achieving specific public purposes through specific methods and amends said purposes and methods to include those enhancing the ability of public schools to further student achievement and lifelong learning through designated public school library participation in group purchasing agreements.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 441.224, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 441.224.  MEMBERSHIP; FEES.  Authorizes different fees to be assessed for different categories of consortium services, rather than different fees to be assessed to members for different categories of consortium services.  Creates two new subsections from existing text.

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 441.229, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec.  441.229.  GROUP PURCHASING AGREEMENTS.  Authorizes the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (commission) to designate public school libraries that may participate in group purchasing agreements provided to the consortium and requires the commission, by rule, to establish criteria for the participation.  Authorizes the commission to allow designated public school libraries to participate in a group purchasing agreement only to the extent that the commission may do so efficiently and only in a manner that does not reduce services to consortium members. Creates new subsections from existing text and makes conforming changes.

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2005.