RCLS Advocacy Committee: Legislative Session

As stated by the New York Library Association:

The Executive Budget was released by Governor Kathy Hochul on January 16, 2024. It includes:

• Library Aid $102.1M
  • +$3.5M increase from FY2023 Enacted Budget
• Library Construction $34M
  • Flat to FY2024 Enacted Budget
• Library Materials Aid: $6.25/pupil
  • Flat to FY2024 Enacted Budget
• NOVELny: $3M
  • New allocation for FY2025

Budgetary Asks are as follows:

Library Operating Aid: $147.1 million

Since its inception in 1991, Library Operating Aid has been underfunded by a cumulative $207.035 million relative to what is statutory under state law, with $157.035 million dollars coming in just the last fifteen years.

Library Construction Aid: $69.4 million The New York State Division of Library Development estimates a current statewide need of $1.75 billion for library construction. Current funding at $34 million is wholly inadequate if we are to ensure that our libraries are physically sound and accessible for all patrons.

Library Materials Aid: $11.00/pupil Since 1994, the per pupil rate for library materials has only increased $4.25 and has remained flat at $6.25 since 2007. In 2022, the average cost of a hardcover children’s book purchased by a school library was $21.31.

NOVELny Program: $3 million NYLA supports a $3 million allocation for the continuation of the NOVELny program beyond its scheduled funding-related termination on June 30, 2024. Doing so would ensure equity of access to essential database resources for all New Yorkers, from students in K-12 classrooms to life-long learners in the public setting

Spectrum News has been providing updates regarding the FY25 budget. To learn more about the process regarding negotiations, watch this short video.

Failed

A.10544 -- The ebooks bill had passed Senate, but stalled on the floor of the Assembly. Thank you to everyone who advocated at the last minute for the passage of this bill. Publishers pushed back causing the stall. At this time I am unsure as to whether the sponsor intends on introducing the bill next year.

S7677A (May) / A7843B (Kelles) -- The "Freedom to Read" bill focused on public libraries did not advance beyond committee in each house. I will be communicating a plan to further ramp up efforts of this bill if it is introduced next year (I will be stating this is a priority bill for 2025). Please be aware that advocacy of this bill will need to be widespread among all library champions—​administrators, staff, Boards, Friends, ​and beyond.

Passed and Waiting to be Delivered

S7093/A9076--  Elimination of construction cap. This bill has passed both houses and is awaiting delivery to the Governor. This would eliminate the 50% cap to ensure that libraries serving economically distressed communities and libraries in rural regions will be able to make use of the library construction aid intended to benefit these communities. More information to come.

S8551 /A9349  - Provides that the state civil service department shall review and update the questions contained within the examination, as deemed appropriate by the department, no less than every five years. This bill has passed both houses and is awaiting delivery to the Governor.

S8557 /A9386  - Provides for crediting of time spent as a provisional appointee for promotional examinations and eligibility for appointment from the resulting eligible lists. This bill has passed both houses and is awaiting delivery to the Governor.

S3112A /A1588A- Requires public institutions and buildings to be equipped with opioid antagonists. This bill has passed both houses and is awaiting delivery to the Governor. More information to come as to how this will affect libraries—this will not happen quickly as Commissioner of General Services AND Commissioner of Health need to become involved.