4225: FLOOR ANALYSIS (5-5-05) - COOPERATIVE LIBRARIES

COOPERATIVE LIBRARIES H.B. 4225: FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 4225 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Edward Gaffney
House Committee: Local Government and Urban Policy
Senate Committee: Appropriations

CONTENT
The bill would amend the State Aid to Public Libraries Act to reduce the population required for an existing library system to petition the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries for designation as a cooperative library. Under the Act, the Department may designate a cooperative library based on certain geographic and population requirements. Currently, the board of an existing library system that serves a population over 1,000,000 may request cooperative library designation. The bill would reduce that figure to 750,000.

MCL 397.556

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State. Since the receipt of the 2000 census, the Detroit Public Library has participated in a neighboring cooperative library for the purpose of qualifying for State aid to cooperative libraries. The bill would allow the Detroit Public Library to resume its former status as a cooperative library and receive the State aid directly.

State aid to libraries is currently paid to qualifying libraries and cooperative libraries at a rate of approximately 44 cents per capita. The appropriation for State Aid to Libraries is $13,327,100 in FY 2004-05.

Date Completed: 5-5-05 Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt Maria Tyszkiewicz

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb4225/0506