Library Law and Regulations

An act to amend the public service law, the public authorities law, the real property law, the state finance law, and the environmental conservation law, in relation to establishing the Power NY Act of 2011. Power NY is related to the "Green Jobs/Green New York" program which was added by chapter 487 of the laws of 2009. It reauthorizes and modernizes Article X, Section 164 of the Public Service Law, regarding siting of major electric generating facilities. This bill requires public libraries serving the district of  each  member of the state legislature in whose  district  any  portion  of the facility is to be located as proposed or in any alternative location listed, to provide copies of applications for the construction and operation of major electric generating facilities to the public. This includes information on the potential impact of the facility on the environment, health and safety of the surrounding communities and would also identify any alternative locations for the proposed facility. The act recognizes public libraries as centers for dissemination of information to their local communities. (signed by the Governor 8/5/11.)

Amends Chapter 158 of the Laws of 1988 for the Hurley public library district, changing the library's annual election hours and the organization of the board of trustees. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

Relates to the dissolution of the Wadsworth Library created by Chapter 262 of the laws of 1869 and allows for the redistribution of any funds and/or assets held by such library to the Wadsworth Library, a school district public library. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

An act in relation to the dissolution of the Oswego City Library, created by Chapter 266 of the Laws of 1854, and allows for the redistribution of any funds and/or assets held by such library to the Oswego School District Public Library, a school district public library. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

Amends the state finance law to include public library systems within the definition of entities that are eligible to apply for local government efficiency grants. (signed by the Governor 8/17/11)

An act to amend Education Law 273-a, in relation to the public library construction grant program.  Funds may now be used to acquire vacant land.  Approved projects serving economically disadvantaged communities may be funded up to seventy-five percent of eligible project costs. Provisions will take effect in 2012 and will be repealed in 2015. (signed by the Governor 9/23/11)

Creates the Norwood Public Library, a public library district including the areas of the towns of Potsdam and Stockholm that lie within the Norwood-Norfolk school district. (signed by the Governor 9/23/11)

Budget: Enacts into law major components of legislation which are necessary to implement the Education, Labor & Family Assistance Budget for the 2010-2011 state fiscal year (Article VII ELFA).

Galef (A)/Oppenheimer (S): Allows for a gift to the love your library fund on corporate and personal income tax return forms

BUDGET: Appropriation language relating to the Education, Labor and Family Assistance Budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year including state aid for libraries and library systems.

BUDGET: Enacts into law major components of legislation which are necessary to implement the Public Protection and General Government state fiscal plan for the 2010-2011 state fiscal year

Finch (A)/Nozzolio (S): Authorizes participation in the Seymour public library district by that portion of the town of Fleming located within the boundaries of the Auburn enlarged city school district

Montesano (A)/Marcellino (S): Extends the period of time the Brookville library funding district may be established.

Gordon (A)/McDonald (S): Provides for the creation of the Brunswick community library district in the town of Brunswick, county of Rensselaer

Lopez (A)/ Seward (S): Relates to filling vacancies on the board of trustees and budget proposals in the D.R. Evarts library district in a portion of the town of Athens.

Paulin (A)/Oppenheimer (S): Relates to cooperative bidding by libraries and library systems

Hoyt (A)/Oppenheimer (S)-- Establishes the "state smart growth public infrastructure policy act"; provides privity in public funding for projects which use, maintain or improve existing infrastructure and which protect and preserve natural resources; establishes state smart growth public infrastructure criteria; authorizes each state infrastructure agency to create a smart growth advisory committee

Sponsors: Sen. Stachowski / A.M. Schimminger - Enacts the academic research information access act to provide public and private academic and research libraries of New York access to information resources at institutions of higher education and within the entrepreneurial community. Citing budgetary constraints, the proposed legislation was vetoed by the Executive on October 28, 2009.

Sponsors: Bradley/ C. Johnson - Provides that if a public body has the ability, it must post notices of place and time of public meetings on its website. This provision impacts all entities subject to open meetings law, including public and association libraries, and public library systems.

Sponsors: Silver/ Stewart-Cousins - Enacts the New York Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act, which provides mechanisms for voluntary consolidation or dissolution of local government entities, including library districts, in order to improve the delivery of services to the public.

Sponsors: Canestrari/McDonald - Extends the term during which the Troy public library district may be established by three years.

BUDGET: Appropriation language relating to the Education, Labor and Family Assistance Budget for the 2009-2010 state fiscal year including state aid for libraries and library systems.

BUDGET: Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the Public Protection and General Government Budget for the 2009-2010 state fiscal year. These include eligibility of public and association libraries for local government consolidation initiatives and language related to capital funds for public library construction grants.

BUDGET: Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the Education, Labor & Family Assistance Budget for the 2009-2010 state fiscal year, including state aid for libraries and library systems.

Sponsors: BUDGET. Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the public protection and general government budget for the 2008-2009 state fiscal plan.