This bill amends Chapter 29-2 of the General Laws entitled "Historical Society Libraries" to provide an annual appropriation for the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. The bill states that the General Assembly shall annually appropriate a sum of money to be used by the state librarian for the purpose of caring for, preserving, and cataloguing the property of the state in the keeping of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. This includes historical materials transferred from the state library collections and the purchase and binding of books relating to the history of the state. The state librarian, with the approval of the secretary of state, may pay this sum to the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society.

Additionally, the bill amends Sections 29-2-4 and 29-2-5 of the General Laws to include the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society alongside the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Newport Historical Society. It states that all books, periodicals, and papers in the keeping of these societies shall be open to the use of all citizens of the state. The bill also requires the societies to submit annual reports on the expenditure of funds and a plan for preservation initiatives for the collections in their care. The bill further requires the societies to submit a disaster preparedness plan for their collections. This act would take effect upon passage.