NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

CHAPTER 1040

SENATE BILL 432

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE LIBRARY RESOURCES PROGRAM.

Whereas, the public library is an essential educational and cultural institution; and

Whereas, the report of a legislative commission to study library support recommended in 1968 that the General Assembly affirm the principle that all citizens of North Carolina should have available to them adequate modern public library services and facilities, and that it is the responsibility of the State to share with local government the basic cost of reaching these; and

Whereas, the legislative commission recommended that the State should gradually assume equal responsibility for the cost of public library service with annual increases in State grants; and

Whereas, the annual increases have been retarded by recent financial conditions; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1. There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to Public Libraries-Subprogram State Aid to Public Libraries, for the fiscal year 1981-82 four hundred thirty-five thousand four hundred six dollars ($435,406) in addition to the previous General Fund appropriations for State Aid to Public Libraries for fiscal year 1981-82.

Sec. 2. That said additional funds shall be allocated in total to those public library systems, county, municipal, and regional, eligible and receiving State aid to Public Libraries on January 1, 1981.

Sec. 3. That said additional funds shall be allocated solely for and limited to the providing of an inflationary supplement to the already existing program of State aid to public libraries.

Sec. 4. That said funds shall be allocated to all eligible library systems, at the rate of a 10 percent (10%) inflation increase, based on the amounts of State aid received by those systems through the program of State aid to Public Libraries during the fiscal year 1980-81.

Sec. 5. It is the intent of this legislation to aid and assist all eligible public library systems in the State of North Carolina and to ensure that through the program of State aid to public libraries that all eligible library systems receive the basic grants they received for fiscal year 1980-81 plus a 10 percent (10%) inflation increase.

Sec. 6. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of October, 1981.