Bill Text: NY S06744 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires elementary and secondary school libraries provide equitable access to physical and digital media.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO LIBRARIES [S06744 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S06744-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6744

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       May 8, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  CHU  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  require-
          ments for elementary and secondary school libraries

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 274 of the education law  is  amended  to  read  as
     2  follows:
     3    § 274. Use  and care of school library. 1. The school library shall be
     4  a part of the school equipment and shall be kept in the school  building
     5  at  all times. Such library shall be devoted to the exclusive use of the
     6  school, except as otherwise provided by the rules of the commissioner of
     7  education and except in a district where there is no  free  library,  in
     8  which  case  such  school library shall be a circulating library for the
     9  use of the residents of the district.
    10    2. Each school library shall:
    11    a. provide physical access to resources including, but not limited to,
    12  books, technological equipment, media, and other tangible documents;
    13    b. provide digital access to resources including, but not limited  to,
    14  e-books, databases, software and media;
    15    c.  provide  equitable, flexible access to library space and its staff
    16  by school students, staff and faculty; and
    17    d. receive a budget allocation  on  a  per  student  basis  to  ensure
    18  resources and services remain relevant.
    19    3.  Each  school district shall annually evaluate their school library
    20  using a school library program rubric created by the department.
    21    4. The commissioner of education shall prescribe rules regulating
    22    [1.] a. The purchase, recording, safekeeping and loaning of  books  in
    23  school  libraries,  and  the use of such books by pupils and teachers in
    24  the public schools.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06257-01-3
        S. 6744                             2

     1    [2.] b. The conditions under which books in a school  library  may  be
     2  used by the public in a district in which a free library is situated.
     3    [3.]  c. The management of school libraries and their use as circulat-
     4  ing libraries by the residents of the district in which they  are  situ-
     5  ated.
     6    [4.]  d.  The contents and submission of reports of school librarians,
     7  teachers and other school authorities as to school libraries.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
     9  the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
    10  addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
    11  for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
    12  to be made and completed on or before such effective date.