Committee approves clarification to state library law clarifying review of state-funded grants

State Librarian Mary Susi testified to the House Finance and Taxation Committee in support of House Bill 1420, legislation to clarify statutory language about grant review. The change makes explicit that the State Library Coordinating Council reviews state-funded library vision grants and does not review federally funded grants the agency administers.

Susi said a recent review with an assistant attorney general prompted the change because the council's existing duties focus on state-funded grant awards; reviewing federal grants would require additional meetings and burden small rural librarians who serve on the coordinating council. "The coordinating council's primary duties are to review the state-funded library vision grants," Susi told the committee, and the bill aligns statute with that practice.

Representative Vista moved a do-pass recommendation; Representative Foss seconded the motion. The committee clerk recorded a roll call and the motion carried; the chair said the motion's passage was 12-0 with two members absent. Representative Foss agreed to carry the bill forward.