06 LC
14 9486S
House
Resolution 1287 (RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By:
Representatives Sims of the
169th
and Hembree of the
67th
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the House 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that there is created
the House Public Libraries Study Committee. The Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall appoint five members of the House of Representatives as
members of the committee and shall designate one of such members as chairperson.
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 chairperson shall call all meetings of the
committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appointing authorities named above are requested to make their appointments by May 1, 2006.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appointing authorities named above are requested to make their appointments by May 1, 2006.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Georgia Public Library Service is requested to
provide staff resources and assistance to the committee. The following agencies
are requested to 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 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. Any members who are
full-time government officials or employees may be reimbursed for expenses by
the employing governmental unit. All funds necessary to carry out the
provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the House of
Representatives. 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.