HF 3005

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to capital improvements; establishing the 
  1.3             mighty books grant program; authorizing issuance of 
  1.4             bonds; appropriating money; repealing Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2000, section 134.45. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [MIGHTY BOOKS GRANTS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The commissioner of 
  1.9   children, families, and learning shall award grants for the 
  1.10  mighty books program to assist Minnesota communities to 
  1.11  construct new, expand, or renovate libraries. 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY; DEFINITION.] Public library 
  1.13  jurisdictions may apply for grants to construct new, expand, or 
  1.14  renovate existing library facilities.  For purposes of this 
  1.15  section, "public library jurisdictions" means regional public 
  1.16  library systems, regional library districts, cities, and 
  1.17  counties operating libraries under chapter 134 that are members 
  1.18  of regional public library systems. 
  1.19     Subd. 3.  [APPLICATION.] The commissioner shall develop 
  1.20  guidelines and a process for grant application; prepare 
  1.21  application forms; and establish application dates. 
  1.22     Subd. 4.  [QUALIFICATIONS.] A public library jurisdiction 
  1.23  may apply for a grant in an amount up to $1,000,000 or 50 
  1.24  percent of the approved costs, whichever is less.  The public 
  1.25  library jurisdiction must provide a one-to-one match of nonstate 
  2.1   money. 
  2.2      Subd. 5.  [APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER.] The commissioner of 
  2.3   children, families, and learning, in consultation with the state 
  2.4   council on disability, shall examine and consider all 
  2.5   applications for grants and may approve or disapprove 
  2.6   applications.  If a public library jurisdiction is found not 
  2.7   qualified, the commissioner shall promptly notify it.  The grant 
  2.8   money must be used to renovate or expand an existing building 
  2.9   for use as a library; to construct a new library building; or to 
  2.10  remove architectural barriers from a building or a site.  First 
  2.11  priority shall be given to applications for removing 
  2.12  architectural barriers from a building. 
  2.13     Subd. 6.  [AWARD OF GRANTS.] The commissioners shall 
  2.14  prioritize grants on the following basis:  the degree of 
  2.15  collaboration with other public or private agencies; the public 
  2.16  library jurisdiction tax burden; the long-term feasibility of 
  2.17  the project; and the suitability of and need for the project.  
  2.18  If the total amount of the applications exceeds the amount that 
  2.19  is or can be made available, the commissioner shall award grants 
  2.20  according to the commissioner's judgment and discretion and 
  2.21  based upon a ranking of the projects according to the factors 
  2.22  listed in this subdivision.  The commissioner shall promptly 
  2.23  certify to each public library jurisdiction the amount, if any, 
  2.24  of the grant awarded to it. 
  2.25     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.26     $18,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2003 from the 
  2.27  bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of children, families, 
  2.28  and learning for the mighty books grant program. 
  2.29     Sec. 3.  [BOND SALE.] 
  2.30     To provide the money appropriated in section 2 from the 
  2.31  bond proceeds fund, the commissioner of finance, on request of 
  2.32  the governor, shall sell and issue bonds of the state in an 
  2.33  amount up to $18,000,000 in the manner, on the terms, and with 
  2.34  the effect prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 
  2.35  16A.675, and by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 
  2.36  4 to 7. 
  3.1      Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
  3.2      Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 134.45, is repealed. 
  3.3      Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.4      Sections 1 to 4 are effective the day following final 
  3.5   enactment.