CHARTER TWP FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY                                                             H.B. 5573:

                                                                                                      FLOOR SUMMARY

House Bill 5573 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Anthony G. Forlini

House Committee:  Local, Intergovernmental, and Regional Affairs

Senate Committee:  Local Government and Elections

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Charter Township Act to revise the criteria that a charter township must meet in order to establish a free public library.

Currently, in a charter township in a county with a population of more than 1.0 million but less than 2.0 million (i.e., Oakland or Wayne County) that has not been located within the service area of an established free public library for the previous five years, the township board may establish and maintain a free public library.

The bill would lower the minimum county population to 750,000 (which would include Macomb County).  In addition, the bill would refer to a charter township that had not been located within the service area of a free public library for the previous three years, rather than five.

(A free public library established and operated under these provisions is a public library for the purposes of the State Aid to Public Libraries Act.)

MCL 42.13a                                                                 Legislative Analyst:  Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no impact on State revenue or expenditure.  The bill would potentially increase revenue to some local libraries, to the extent that it would reduce the requirements necessary for establishing a free public library, and thus make the library eligible to receive per capita distributions of certain penal fine revenue.  To the extent that a township board subsequently expanded the staff of a library established under the terms of the bill and met other specified criteria, the library also would become eligible to receive State aid.

Date Completed:  6-7-12                                                          Fiscal Analyst:  David Zin

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.