SENATE INDIAN, RURAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL 273

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO LIBRARIES; CLARIFYING GRANT ELIGIBILITY; REVISING THE DEFINITION OF "RURAL LIBRARY".

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 18-18-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2019, Chapter 165, Section 2) is amended to read:

     "18-18-2. RURAL LIBRARIES GRANT PROGRAM--SPECIALIZED SERVICES.--

          A. The "rural libraries grant program" is created. Through that program, the state librarian shall annually disburse, in the form of grants directly benefiting developing rural libraries and established rural libraries and grants for the establishment of developing rural libraries in cities, towns and villages without libraries, money from the rural libraries program fund. The state librarian shall endeavor each year to disburse the full amount available for rural libraries grants. The portion, if any, of that amount not disbursed shall be made available for the next award of grants.

          B. Once a developing rural library or an established rural library qualifies to receive grants pursuant to this section, that library shall remain qualified to receive such grants even if the population in the municipality or Indian nation, tribe or pueblo exceeds three thousand.

          [B.] C. The state librarian shall use money allocated for specialized services to rural libraries from the rural libraries endowment fund distribution to provide specialized services to rural libraries."

     SECTION 2. Section 18-18-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2019, Chapter 165, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "18-18-4. DEFINITIONS.--As used in Sections [1 through 4 of this 2019 act] 18-18-1 through 18-18-4 NMSA 1978, and to the extent allowed by law:

          A. "developing rural library" means a rural library whose library staff, whether salaried or volunteer, is dedicated to delivering library services to the public for at least fifteen hours per week and on at least two days each week;

          B. "established rural library" means a rural library:

                (1) with permanent, salaried staff; and

                (2) that offers library services to the public for at least twenty-five hours per week;

          C. "rural library" means a library that is established:

                (1) through an ordinance or legal resolution adopted by a political subdivision of the state and is located in [a municipality with a population at the time of the library's establishment of three thousand or less or is located in an unincorporated area of the state]:

                     (a) an unincorporated area of the state; or

                     (b) a municipality with a population on or after July 1, 2019 of three thousand or less;

                (2) by a legal resolution of a tribal government in New Mexico [and is located in a census designated place with a population at the time of the library's establishment of three thousand or less; or] with a tribal population on or after July 1, 2019 of three thousand or less; or

                (3) as a corporation with tax-exempt status pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is located in: [a municipality with a population at the time of the library's establishment of three thousand or less or is located in an unincorporated area of the state]

                     (a) an unincorporated area of the state; or

                     (b) a municipality with a population on or after July 1, 2019 of three thousand or less; and

          D. "specialized services" means professional development opportunities, program support, information technology support and other capacity-building services, as defined by the state librarian."

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