The bill amends section 5705.32 and enacts section 3375.94 of the Revised Code to establish new regulations regarding the closure of public library branches and the forfeiture of public library funds. Under the new section 3375.94, library boards in counties with populations between 220,000 and 230,000 are prohibited from shutting down, decommissioning, or making inactive a library without the consent of the county commissioners. Additionally, individuals can bring legal action against any library board that violates this provision, and if a court finds the board noncompliant, it will issue a declaratory judgment and notify the county auditor.

The bill also modifies section 5705.32, specifying that if a library is subject to a declaratory judgment due to noncompliance with the new closure regulations, the amount allocated to that library from the county public library fund will be set to zero. This change aims to ensure accountability and protect public library funding in the event of unauthorized closures. The existing section 5705.32 is repealed, indicating a significant overhaul of the regulations governing library funding and operations.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 5705.32