GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 596*

Short Title:  Library Construction Grant Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Walker; and Smith.
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Referred to:  Capital Expenditures.
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March 29, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS.
Whereas, North Carolina's public libraries provide valuable services to all the people of the State; and
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide revenue to be used to make grants to public libraries for much needed construction and renovations; and
Whereas, these grants will have a positive impact in providing quality public library services;  Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Cultural Resources the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year to provide grants to public libraries for construction and renovation needs.
Sec. 2.  The Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources shall administer the grant program, develop the criteria for making a grant, provide technical assistance to grant applicants and recipients, select grant recipients, and evaluate the use of the funds by each grant recipient.  The Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources may adopt rules to implement this act.
Sec. 3.  A grant shall be available only to a public library that is a member of a library system that qualifies for the Aid to Public Libraries Fund established in G.S. 125-7.  A maximum of one grant per public library system per year of the biennium may be awarded.  No grant shall exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).  Each grant shall be contingent on a local dollar-for-dollar match.  The market value of the land used for library construction may be used to satisfy the matching fund requirement.
Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.