06 LC
14 9384
House
Resolution 1287
By:
Representatives Sims of the
169th
and Hembree of the
67th
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Joint Public Libraries Study Committee; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the current legal model for governance of public libraries in Georgia was
established in the 1940's and since that time the population of the state has
nearly tripled and its demographic patterns have changed greatly;
and
WHEREAS,
the statutes dealing with the state library administrative agency have not been
amended in over 20 years except in transferring its operation from the
Department of Education to the Department of Technical and Adult Education in
1996 and transferring its operation to the Board of Regents of the University
System of Georgia in 2000; and
WHEREAS,
over $30 million of state funds and over $165 million of local funds are
expended annually to support public libraries; and
WHEREAS,
there is a growing need for greater accountability in the use of local, state,
and federal funding for public libraries; and
WHEREAS,
there has been no formal study of public libraries initiated by the General
Assembly in recent history.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Joint Public Libraries Study Committee to be composed of 19 members.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members of the
House of Representatives as members of the committee and shall designate one of
such members as cochairperson. The Senate Committee on Assignments shall appoint
two members of the Senate as members of the committee and shall designate one of
such members as cochairperson. The Governor, after considering recommendations
by the Georgia Public Library Service, shall appoint six public library
directors and three public library trustees. The Chairman of the Board of
Regents of the University System of Georgia shall appoint one member of the
board of regents to serve on the committee. The committee shall include three
local government officials as follows: one city official, elected or appointed,
to be appointed by the Georgia Municipal Association; one county official,
elected or appointed, to be appointed by the Association County Commissioners of
Georgia; and one board of education official, elected or appointed, to be
appointed by the Georgia School Boards Association. The chancellor of the
University System of Georgia and the state librarian shall serve ex officio as
members of the committee. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings of the
committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Georgia Public Library Service shall provide staff
resources and assistance to the committee. The following agencies shall make
their personnel and expertise available to consult with and provide information
to the committee: Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts; Georgia Bureau of
Investigation; Georgia Department of Revenue; Governor’s Office of
Planning and Budget; State Grants Advisory Council of the Georgia Public Library
Service; and Office of the Attorney General of the State of
Georgia.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and
recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or
appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such
times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and
effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and
purposes of this resolution. The legislative members of the committee shall
receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code
of Georgia Annotated. Members who are citizens or part-time local officials
shall receive a daily expense allowance in the amount specified in subsection
(b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as well as
the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees. Members
of the committee who are full-time state or local officials or employees shall
receive no compensation for their services on the committee, but they shall be
reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as
members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses
in their capacities as state or local officials or employees. The funds
necessary for the reimbursement of the expenses of full-time state and local
officials shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their
respective departments and local governments. All other funds necessary to
carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated
to the House of Representatives and the Senate. The expenses and allowances
authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the
committee for more than three days unless additional days are authorized. In the
event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with
suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or
before December 31, 2006. The committee shall stand abolished on December 31,
2006.