RHB/5/19
Sponsored by Laura Clymer, Finnegan Saylor of Franklin High School
This legislation was filed in the Economic and Community Development category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH LEGISLATURE |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section 1: Terms used in this act shall be defined as follows: |
| 4 | A) Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS): An independent federal institution for the |
| 5 | upkeep and advancement of libraries and museums. |
| 6 | B) State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs): State institutions responsible for regulating |
| 7 | libraries, as defined by the IMLS. |
| 8 | C) Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA or Library and Archives): As Tennessee’s primary |
| 9 | SLAA, the Library and Archives collects and preserves books of value and promotes library |
| 10 | development; it works through the State Library and runs the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL). |
| 11 | D) Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA): A federal act that supports libraries through funds |
| 12 | provided by the IMLS Grants to States program. |
| 13 | E) Grants to States: An IMLS program which grants money to states based on population and |
| 14 | need, and is the primary mechanism by which libraries in Tennessee currently receive state |
| 15 | funding. Amounts granted to Tennessee have ranged from $3.2 to 6.7 million each year. |
| 16 | F) LSTA Five Year Plan: A state specific plan for library spending mandated by the IMLS. The plan |
| 17 | is renewed and evaluated every five years. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Section 2: $15 million in state money shall be allotted annually to the Tennessee State Library and |
| 20 | Archives in addition to the money allotted by the Grants to States program. This money shall be |
| 21 | used to further the current LSTA Five Year Plan as determined by the TSLA. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | Section 3: |
| 24 | (a) This bill hereby mandates that beginning in 2025 any municipal government must direct no |
| 25 | less than $25 per capita towards local library services. |
| 26 | (b) This money must be used in accordance with Tennessee’s current Five Year Plan. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Section 4: Beginning June 2027, this bill will be reevaluated every five years to coincide with the |
| 29 | reevaluation of Tennessee’s LSTA Five Year Plan. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | Section 5: This bill will require approximately $15 million annually in funding from the state |
| 32 | government. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Section 6: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this bill are hereby repealed. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | Section 7: If enacted, this bill shall take effect January 1, 2025. |
| 37 |