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<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="23-509" title_number="23" title_name="Libraries" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Financing for County Public Libraries">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Capital project” means the:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Acquisition of land or buildings for a county library; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Construction or improvement of a county library.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Construction or improvement” means planning, design, engineering, alteration, construction, reconstruction, enlargement, expansion, extension, improvement, replacement, rehabilitation, renovation, upgrading, repair, or capital equipping.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“County library” means a library in a county public library system in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“State Library Agency” means the Maryland State Library Agency.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is a State grant program for county public library capital projects in the State Library Agency.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The grant program is in addition to the county–State minimum library program established under § 23–502 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Library Agency shall develop and administer a grant program to assist in the funding of county library capital projects.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The purpose of the grant program is to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Provide a uniform and objective analysis of proposed capital projects; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Support projects that address the library needs in the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Grants under the program:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Require a matching fund from any combination of county, municipal, or private sources; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>May not be for an amount less than $20,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On or before July 15 of each year, a county public library system may submit applications to the State Library Agency to receive grants for county library capital projects for the next fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In order to apply for a capital project grant, a county public library system shall have:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A countywide library plan that includes a mission statement, needs statement, and multiyear goals and objectives on file with the State Library Agency; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A master plan that includes a description of the capital project approved by the applicant’s governing body.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>An application shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A description of the scope and purpose of the project;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A building plan that includes the estimated total cost of the project; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Any other information required by the State Library Agency.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>A county public library system may not apply for more than three capital project grants in a fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Library Agency shall review grant applications submitted in accordance with subsection (d) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>On or before October 1 of each year, the State Library Agency shall make recommendations to the State Library Board regarding capital project grants for the next fiscal year.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In making its recommendations, the State Library Agency shall consider:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The public necessity and urgency of a project;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The need for additional sources of funding for a project;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The estimated cost and timeliness of executing a project;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The viability of matching funds for a project; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Geographic diversity.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>On or before November 1 of each year, the State Library Board shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Approve capital projects for funding in the State budget for the next fiscal year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Forward the list of approved capital projects to the Department of Budget and Management.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2021, the Governor shall include in the annual operating or capital budget submission $5,000,000 for county library capital projects.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual operating or capital budget submission $7,500,000 for county library capital projects.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State share percentage for a county library capital project approved under this section shall be calculated by dividing the State share of the minimum program for a county calculated under § 23–505(b) of this subtitle by the library program amount for a county calculated under § 23–503(b) of this subtitle, and multiplying this quotient by 1.25.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The minimum State share of a county library capital project is 50%.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The maximum State share of a county library capital project is 90%.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The State Library Board shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly, on or before October 1 of each year, on State grants awarded for county public library capital projects for the prior fiscal year.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The State Library Board shall adopt regulations to implement the grant program established under this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
