HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 643 Library Cooperative Funding
SPONSOR(S): Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee, Porras
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 726
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations 13 Y, 0 N, As CS McAuliffe Davis
Subcommittee
2) Appropriations Committee 27 Y, 0 N McAuliffe Pridgeon
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The Division of Library and Information Services within the Department of State is responsible for collecting,
preserving, and providing public access to the published history of Florida. The Interstate Library Compact
provides that state library agencies may conduct joint or cooperative library programs to: meet the needs of
state residents which cannot be met independently by local libraries, build upon the strength of local libraries,
or augment their resources with regional and statewide services. Encouraging and assuring cooperation
among libraries of all types for the development of library services is a core component of library cooperative
programs.
Current law authorizes that the administrative unit of a library cooperative may receive a grant of up to
$400,000 from the state for the purpose of sharing library resources. The bill removes this cap.
The bill does not have a fiscal impact on state revenues or expenditures, it simply adjusts the amount of
funding an individual cooperative may receive, subject to appropriation.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2023.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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DATE: 4/12/2023
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Current Situation
The Division of Library and Information Services
The Division of Library and Information Services (Division) was created within the Department of State
(Department). The Division was designated as the state library administrative agency. 1 The Division is
responsible for collecting, preserving, and providing public access to the published history of Florida. 2
Allocation of State Funds
State funds allocated to libraries must be expended only for library purposes in the manner prescribed
by the Division. The Division must establish operating standards under which libraries and library
cooperatives will be eligible to receive state funds.3 The Division is required to certify to the Chief
Financial Officer the amount of funds paid to each county, municipality, special district, or special tax
district on or before December 1 of each year.4
Library Cooperative Programs
The Interstate Library Compact5 provides that any two or more state library agencies may
undertake and conduct joint or cooperative library programs. The legislative intent of the library
cooperatives program is to:
Meet the needs of state residents which cannot be met independently by local libraries;
Build upon the strength of local libraries and to augment their resources with regional and
statewide services;
Maintain local autonomy and allow cooperation in regional or statewide activities; and
Recognize programs of cooperation undertaken by libraries and provide for state financial
assistance to encourage library cooperative development. 6
The administrative unit of a library cooperative is eligible to receive an annual grant (i.e., a
library cooperative grant) from the state of not more than $400,000 for the purpose of sharing
library resources. The grant is based upon an annually updated five-year, long-range plan. The plan
must include a description of how the cooperative will share technology and be submitted to the
Division.7 A resource-sharing needs assessment must also be completed. The assessment must
include:
A description of the needs;
Rationale for addressing or not addressing items on the assessment;
Information on the activities to be completed during the grant cycle; and
A timeline of all the proposed activities.8
1 Section 257.12, F.S.
2 Department of State, About the State Library of Florida, https://dos.myflorida.com/library-archives/about -
us/about-the-state-library-of-florida/ (last visited Mar. 7, 2023).
3 Sections 257.15 and 257.41(2), F.S. Section 257.41(2), F.S., further provides that the division must issue a certificate to
each library cooperative that meets the standards and rules es tablished.
4 Section 257.22, F.S.
5 Section 257.28, F.S.
6 Section 257.40, F.S.
7 Section 257.42, F.S.
8 Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services, Library Cooperative Grant Guidelines,
https://files.floridados.gov/media/705355/cooperative -grant-guidelines-2022-2023.pdf (last visited Mar. 7,
2023).
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The assessment, coupled with the long-range plan, must determine which resource sharing needs
the library cooperative will address during the grant cycle.
Florida’s five Library Cooperative Grant Program service areas are shown on the following map: 9
Grant Awards and Local Cash Match
The total amount available to fund the Library Cooperative Grant Program depends upon the amount of
funds appropriated by the Legislature. Currently, $2 million in recurring general revenue is available
annually for library cooperative grants, equating to a maximum grant of $400,000 for each cooperative.
If the Legislature were to appropriate less than the amount requested by the Division, the appropriated
funds will be prorated equally among the approved Grantees. 10 The administrative unit of a library
cooperative is eligible to receive an annual grant as specified in law and must provide local cash
matching funds equal to 10 percent of the grant award. If a library cooperative does not show sufficient
funds from local sources to meet the requirement of a 10 percent cash match in its grant application,
the Division will reduce the grant to a level that will enable the library cooperative to meet the
requirement.11
Grant Agreement
A grant agreement must be signed by both the grant recipient’s governing body and the Division. Grant
applications that are funded, and any change requests, will become a part of the grant agreement
between the Division and the Grantee. Submission of a change request may necessitate an
amendment to the grant agreement. Grant funds may not be released until the grant agreement is
executed between the Division and the grantee.
Grant Payments
Payments are made upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables specified in the grant agreement.
Payment requests and supporting documentation must be submitted on the Department grants system.
Any grant compliance issues must be resolved before a grant award agreement may be executed.12
9 Department of State, Library Cooperative Grants, https://dos.myflorida.com/library-archives/library-
development/funding/cooperative/ (last visited Mar. 7, 2023).
10 Section 257.21, F.S.
11 Id.
12 Id.
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Effect of the Bill
The bill amends s. 257.42, F.S., to remove the $400,000 cap on an annual library cooperative grant.
Each library cooperative is eligible to receive an annual grant from the state for the purpose of sharing
library resources based upon an annual plan of service and an annually updated five-year, long-range
plan of cooperative library resource sharing which may be more or less than $400,000.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1 Amends s. 257.42, F.S., removing the limitation of funding on library cooperative grants.
Section 2 Provides an effective date of July 1, 2023.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
The bill does not change or require any state appropriations. Each library cooperative is eligible to
receive an annual grant from the state for the purpose of sharing library resources based upon an
annual plan of service and an annually updated five-year, long-range plan of cooperative library
resource sharing which may be more or less than $400,000.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
None.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
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Not applicable. The mandate restrictions do not apply because the bill does not require counties and
municipalities to spend funds, reduce counties’ or municipalities’ ability to raise revenue, or reduce
the percentage of state tax shared with counties and municipalities.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
None.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
On March 27, 2023, the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee adopted one amendment
and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The amendment restores existing statutory
language in reference to grants rather than appropriations.
This analysis is drawn to the committee substitute as amended by the Infrastructure & Tourism
Appropriations Subcommittee.
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DATE: 4/12/2023
Statutes affected: H 643 Filed: 257.42
H 643 c1: 257.42