S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         7922
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     June 19, 2014
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  FARLEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  maintaining  school
         libraries
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  274-a
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S  274-A.  SCHOOL LIBRARIES. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF
    4  LAW TO THE CONTRARY AND SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO  OF
    5  THIS  SECTION,  EACH  SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL MAINTAIN A SCHOOL LIBRARY IN
    6  EACH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT, AND SHALL EMPLOY A
    7  CERTIFIED SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST FOR EACH SUCH SCHOOL  LIBRARY,
    8  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER, WITHIN
    9  THREE YEARS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   10    2. THE COMMISSIONER MAY, UPON APPLICATION BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT,  WAIVE
   11  THE  APPLICABILITY  OF THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION
   12  TO SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT UPON A DETERMINATION BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  THAT
   13  THE  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  IS  WITHIN A DESIGNATED SHORTAGE AREA FOR LIBRARY
   14  MEDIA SPECIALISTS OR THAT SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S  NEEDS  ARE  ADEQUATELY
   15  MET THROUGH A WRITTEN SHARING ARRANGEMENT WITH A PUBLIC LIBRARY AND SUCH
   16  ARRANGEMENT PROVIDES FOR ADEQUATE LIBRARY ACCESS.
   17    S  2.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
   18  the date on which it shall have become a law.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD15173-01-4