Senate committee approves sweeping library governance bill after extended testimony from librarians and state officials

The Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs voted to advance Senate Bill 536 after several hours of testimony both for and against the proposal to transfer many functions of the Arkansas State Library to the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).

Senator Dan Sullivan (District 20), who sponsored the bill, said SB 536 is “about oversight, innovation, accountability, and opportunity,” describing the measure as a reconstitution of statutory authority that would move the state library’s administrative functions under ADE while preserving many existing services in law. Sullivan told senators the bill adds performance expectations tied to state aid and contains an emergency clause aimed at accelerating compliance and oversight.

The bill drew sustained opposition from librarians and state library staff. Misty Hawkins, regional director for the Arkansas River Valley Regional Library System, told the committee SB 536 “would have a direct and negative impact on every library in Arkansas regardless of size,” arguing the bill imposes new, statewide compliance burdens and uncertainty for small rural systems. Debbie Hall, a 39-year employee of the Arkansas State Library, warned it would “destroy a state agency that is performing well” and outlined services she said would be difficult to replicate, including statewide database subscriptions, the library for the blind, document depository functions and interlibrary loan.

Library leaders described several contested provisions: a requirement tied to minimum weekly open hours for branches; performance-based state aid eligibility and a detailed set of standards for collection content and age-appropriate segregation that supporters framed as responsive to a federal court decision about a prior law (Act 372). Senator Sullivan and supporters said the measure implements guidance from litigation and adds explicit definitions — including a carve-out for educational materials and age-appropriate designations — and that ADE staff told the committee the department is prepared to assume the statutory duties.

Daniel Schultz, general counsel for ADE, told the committee the secretary is “confident that the agency will be able to fully fulfill the goals set out in the law,” though he stopped short of endorsing the bill as policy. Sullivan said the committee’s goal is accountability for state support and to incentivize reading-focused programs and staff development, including expanded access to Department of Education training resources for libraries.

Opponents said the bill’s emergency clause and new state-aid criteria could put funding at risk for rural libraries that lack staff or facilities to meet the new requirements by a July 1 effective date. Several testifiers provided budgets and fund balances to show potential vulnerability; Calhoun County library director Ally Stevens Gosselinck said her system received $7,100 in state aid last year and described how a modest increase in mandated hours would exceed that amount.

After questions and rebuttals, a senator moved that the committee recommend the bill pass. The committee recorded a do-pass recommendation and the bill will move to the Senate floor.

Action: Committee motion to pass; committee voted to advance SB 536.