Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                         S.200
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                                      S.200
 Introduced by Senator Starr
 Referred to Committee on
 Date:
 Subject: Education; Agency of Education; Vermont Imagination Library
 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish the
 Vermont Imagination Library for a three-year pilot period and directs the
 Agency of Education to cooperate with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library
 to provide free books to Vermont children from birth to five years of age.
    An act relating to establishing the Vermont Imagination Library
 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
 Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. chapter 135 is added to read:
            CHAPTER 135. VERMONT IMAGINATION LIBRARY
 § 4201. VERMONT IMAGINATION LIBRARY; PILOT; CREATION
    (a) Duties of Agency. The Agency of Education shall:
         (1) coordinate with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) to
 ensure statewide access to the Vermont Imagination Library program;
         (2) manage the daily operations of the Vermont Imagination Library
 program and provide oversight of the Imagination Library Special Fund,
 including establishing library-based programs in each county, communicating VT LEG #372679 v.1
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 with and coordinating any volunteers at local and school libraries, and
 advancing and strengthening the program to ensure enrollment growth;
       (3) develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program
 to make donors aware of the opportunity to donate to the Imagination
 Library Special Fund; and
       (4) develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program
 to make the public aware of the opportunity to register children to receive age-
 appropriate books on a monthly basis.
    (b) Consultation with Librarian of Congress. The Secretary of Education
 may consult with the Librarian of Congress concerning the establishment,
 implementation, and funding of the Vermont Imagination Library.
    (c) Eligibility. To receive books on a monthly basis, a child shall be under
 five years of age and a resident of Vermont.
    (d) Administrative costs. The Agency is authorized to retain up to five
 percent of the funds appropriated to the Imagination Library Special Fund for
 administrative and operating expenses related to implementation of the
 Vermont Imagination Library program.
    (e) Matching funds. The Vermont Imagination Library program shall be
 funded by 50 percent private funds and 50 percent appropriated funds. The
 Agency shall include in its annual budget request the estimated need to fund
 the Vermont Imagination Library for the following fiscal year.
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    (f) Failure to appropriate funds. If the General Assembly does not
 appropriate funds to the Imagination Library Special Fund, the Agency of
 Libraries shall cease to operate the Vermont Imagination Library and may
 rescind any agreements associated with the operation or implementation of the
 program.
    (g) Reports.
       (1) Annual report. Annually, the Agency shall report to the House and
 Senate Committees on Education concerning the status of implementing the
 Vermont Imagination Library. The annual report shall include data on the
 number of children enrolled in the program, the growth of the program, and
 any feedback received from parents and educators.
       (2) Repeal of pilot. Every three years, the Agency shall include in its
 annual report a recommendation on whether the Vermont Imagination Library
 should continue to operate or be repealed.
 § 4202. IMAGINATION LIBRARY SPECIAL FUND
    (a) There is established the Imagination Library Special Fund, which shall
 be managed in accordance with 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter 5. Private
 funding for the Vermont Imagination Library shall be deposited and credited to
 this Fund. This Fund shall be available to the Agency to administer the
 Vermont Imagination Library pursuant to section 651 of this subchapter.
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 Monies in the Fund shall be used solely for purposes of the Fund and for
 necessary costs incurred in administering the Fund.
    (b) The Agency may accept gifts, donations, and grants from any source,
 public or private, to be dedicated for deposit into the Fund.
 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION
    The sum of $100,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund to the
 Imagination Library Special Fund in fiscal year 2025 for the purpose of
 establishing the Vermont Imagination Library.
 Sec. 3. REPEAL
    22 V.S.A. chapter 13, subchapter 3 shall be repealed on July 1, 2027.
 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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