BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 1044
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 8, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 1044 (Liu) - As Amended:  March 19, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                             Education Vote:9-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill repeals the Library of California Act and makes the 
          following revisions in order to streamline the administration of 
          the state's public libraries:  

          1)Requires, beginning January 1, 2013, the California Library 
            Services Board members to be those persons serving on the 
            former Library of California Board as it existed on December 
            31, 2012, as specified. 

          2)Repeals statute requiring annual funding for library reference 
            systems and statute authorizing library systems to apply to 
            the state for funding for special service programs.  

          3)Eliminates the requirement for local libraries to have 
            advisory boards, as specified.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Potential GF savings by repealing unused and unnecessary 
          provisions related to libraries.  The 2012 Budget Act allocated 
          $45.8 million in state, federal and special funds for the 
          California State Library.  

           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  .  The California Library Services Act was established 
          in 1977 for the purpose of ensuring that all people have free 
          and convenient access to all library resources and services, 
          regardless of where they live or of the tax base of their local 
          government.  

          The Library of California Act was established in 1998 for the 
          purpose of ensuring that all Californians have free and 






                                                                  SB 1044
                                                                  Page  2

          convenient access to library resources and services, and enable 
          libraries of all types and in all parts of the state to 
          interact, cooperate and share resources.  This bill proposes to 
          repeal these provisions.  

          According to the author, "some provisions of the �California 
          Library Services] Act have become outdated or irrelevant for the 
          operation of modern library systems. State budget resources for 
          libraries have unfortunately declined due to the ongoing budget 
          crisis, but libraries still operate with costly and unnecessary 
          state requirements.  The California Library Association convened 
          a task force in January 2012 to make several recommendations for 
          changes in the Library Services Act. This bill will incorporate 
          those recommendations."

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081